


How Far I'll Go

by HPfanatic12



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Neville & Seamus & Dennis are professors, Seamus is a jokster
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-04-13 18:25:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 41,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14118252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPfanatic12/pseuds/HPfanatic12
Summary: Dennis Creevey is a successful photographer and Professor of Muggle Studies. He's living a relatively normal life; for a wizard anyway. What happens when Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy tell him that they might have found a way to bring Colin back?





	1. Chapter 1

Dennis Creevey liked to think he had done well for himself since leaving Hogwarts.  
After losing his brother, Colin, he'd taken Colin's beloved camera and began taking pictures with it. While not as an avid photographer as his brother was, he did enjoy it as a hobby. Before long, he started working for the Daily Prophet. It never failed to amaze him that his pictures were in the newspaper. He knew Colin would have been so proud of him.  
Dennis soon got bored with the job. He really couldn't see himself as a reporter for the rest of his life. For the first few months of summer, he worked odd jobs just to make some decent money. During his brief job at the Leaky Cauldron, he ran into Seamus Finnigan. The Irish man hadn't changed a bit. Still goofy and still managed to blow up stuff. The two men talked for a bit while Dennis was on break. He admitted to Seamus that he was looking for a new job.  
"Why? You don't like it here?" Seamus frowned.  
"It's not that," Dennis shifted in the uncomfortable chair. "It's just not what I want to do for the rest of my life, you know?"  
Seamus was quiet before a grin spread over his face. "I'm teaching at Hogwarts."  
"Okay..?" Dennis blinked.  
"I can get you a job!" Seamus beamed. "We need a professor for Muggle Studies."  
Hmm, Muggle Studies. Dennis had to admit it sounded promising. He enjoyed being around kids and it always amused him the reactions wizards had about Muggle items.  
"You think I'll get the job?" he asked quietly.  
"Of course! I'll write you a recommendation letter and give it to McGonagall," Seamus said excitedly.  
Dennis smiled warmly. "Thank you, Seamus. I really appreciate it."  
"No problem, mate." Seamus glanced at his watch and cursed. "I was supposed to pick up Teddy. Andy's gonna kill me for being late."  
"Teddy?" Dennis asked curiously.  
"Harry's godson. I'm close to him and I usually watch Teddy for a month or so in summer. He loves to watch me blow stuff up."  
Dennis snorted. Of course he did.  
"Well, gotta go. You should hear from McGonagall soon if you get the job. Bye Dennis!" Seamus waved as he exited.  
"Goodbye Seamus!"  
That had been two years ago. Now, at the age of twenty, Dennis was a successful part time photographer and Professor of Muggle Studies. He loved teaching. He loved to see students' reactions and their genuine love for the class. He also loved his colleagues; especially Neville Longbottom and, of course, Seamus. Neville taught herbology while Seamus taught Defense Against the Dark Arts. Dennis privately wondered how much pleading and bargaining it took to convince McGonagall he wouldn't blow the classroom up.  
It was hard; teaching was, at first. His first class was a group of over excited first years that strongly reminded him of Colin. They chatted too much and asked questions not pertaining to the lesson. But that was okay, he could handle it. He took it all in stride until one tiny boy asked if he was related to the Creevey on the memorial for the war victims. Dennis had choked up, hastily excused himself and ran out to the courtyard where he sobbed for the next hour.  
It wasn't fair. Colin was just sixteen. Yet, he wound up trapped in a war that wasn't his own and died unjustly. He wondered that wherever Colin was, if he was watching him. DId he see his near daily breakdowns? Did he see how broken Dennis was and how much it took to put himself together for a single day? Did he see how alone he was and how no friend nor girlfriend would ever fill that spot?  
Seamus encouraged him to think of the positives. Colin would be absolutely ecstatic for him having a teaching job. Dennis remembered Colin's words when they were young: "You'll do great at anything, Denny."  
Those words haunted him. He could still distantly hear his brother's voice. But even that was beginning to fade. Dennis knew eventually he'd forget what he sounded like, and that was something that would pain his already broken heart. Dennis didn't want to forget him but it just hurt too much to think about him. Even though it was years since his death, it was just like opening a fresh wound.  
That wasn't his only issue, either. In the years since, Dennis became a little more angry, a little more closed off and a little more hardened. He hated how people seemed to forget his brother had been apart of the war. Everyone wept over Fred Weasley, Remus Lupin, Dumbledore and the like; but they were oblivious to the small sixteen year old Gryffindor boy who risked, and ultimately lost, his life for Harry bloody Potter.  
Potter. Colin worshiped the ground Harry walked on. Of course, Harry had never been overly friendly with his brother but Dennis couldn't blame him. If someone stuck a camera in his face, begging for a photo and constantly jabbering to him, he would've been annoyed too. He didn't even blame Harry when Colin died. The older boy actually cried over his death, secretly though. Dennis found him on accident in the Room of Requirement when he, himself, needed a place to cry. While it didn't mean they were the best of friends, they consoled each other that night with Harry sharing his stories of Colin during their years at Hogwarts. Dennis was moved by the gesture-even at twenty years of age.  
It was May now, May 12, 2004. Six years had past since Colin's demise. Life still wasn't any easier for Dennis. During term, he taught, hung out with Neville and Seamus and acted like a normal twenty year old wizard. On the outside, he was seemingly unaffected and had returned to his normal state. During the summer months however, he secluded himself from the world. It wasn't like he had to try hard, though. Not many people visited him. He rarely visited his parents anymore because they lived as though Colin never existed. He knew it was their way of coping but he still hated it. They'd taken down every last picture of Colin, every last piece of artwork he created in primary school and practically closed off his room. They'd begged him not to return to Hogwarts when it reopened that upcoming fall. They pleaded with him, threatened to ground him but he stood his ground. He stated that it was what Colin would've wanted and they never spoke about his magic again.  
Dennis buried his face in his hands as they all too familiar feeling crept up. It was mid morning and he was already close to tears. He needed an escape.  
Leaning on the kitchen table, his thoughts wandered to Seamus. His best mate was dealing with grief of his own. Death Eaters had invaded the Finnigan house and murdered Seamus' parents and some magical relatives who were staying for refuge at the time. Seamus handled it all well. He didn't cry or have mental breakdowns. He didn't let it define him. He rose up after the war and became a wonderful professor who many respected. Dennis yearned to be like that. He wanted to be strong and fearless. He wanted to prove that his brother's death didn't cause him to sink into a deep depression. But no. He was spineless and weak.  
"One day you'll have to get over it," his mom told him.   
He was utterly astounded by her statement. How was he supposed to get over the death of his best friend, his brother, his mentor?  
I need to see Seamus, he thought. He never saw the Irishman over the holidays but maybe he needed a change. He glanced at his mantel; he was getting low on floo powder. Oh well, he shrugged. He'd just apparate. He flicked his wrist to the right and felt himself being forced in a tight tube. He landed in Seamus' living room, falling clumsily and knocking a pretty vase down; smashing it into smithereens.  
He winched at the noise. Murmuring a quick, "Repairo," it returned to its original state in mere seconds. He really needed to practice apparating more. He whirled around when he heard a gasp. A little boy, about ten or so, stood there with wide eyes. His hair was sandy like Seamus' and his eyes were a deep blue color. He wore thick framed glasses that reminded him of Harry Potter's.  
"Oh, hello," Dennis greeted, picking himself off of the floor. "Is Seamus here?"  
The little boy nodded, his eyes narrowed.  
"I'm Dennis Creevey," he offered. Still nothing. "Do you know where he is?"  
Another nod. Dennis expected him to say where he was but he didn't; instead just continued to stare.  
"Where is he?" Dennis asked gently.  
"Uncle Seamus!" the child bellowed, startling Dennis. "You have a visitor!" He turned his attention back onto Dennis. "I'm Teddy Lupin," he introduced. "I'm ten years old." He extended his hand politely.  
"It's nice to meet you, Teddy," he shook his hand, smiling for the first time that day.  
"Teddy, there's no need to shout," Seamus' Irish brogue echoed. He was taken aback by Dennis' presence. "Hey, Dennis. What's up? You never come see me. Who died?" he joked, then winched at his poor choice of words.  
Dennis ignored the feeble attempt at humor. He smiled tightly, saying, "Can we talk about it in, you know, private?" He motioned to Teddy.  
Seamus understood at once. "Go outside and play with Patrick," he instructed. "I'm sure he'll play fetch with you now." The child whooped with joy and bolted out the door, leaving the two men to themselves.  
"Sooo," Seamus sat on the arm of the nearest chair. Dennis collapsed on the couch. "What did you need to talk about?"  
"It's been six years," Dennis said in a hollow voice. He didn't have to say anything else, Seamus knew exactly as to what he was referring to.  
"I'm sorry," he sighed.  
"It's not fair," the younger man said miserably. "Why did he have to die, Shay?" he asked in a small voice.  
Seamus' heart went out for him. It was true when the muggles said "Only the good die young." He got up, wrapped his arms around Dennis, letting his head tuck under his chin. He gently rocked him back and forth as he wept. "It's okay," he said soothingly. "It's okay..."  
Seamus was the only one Dennis was comfortable having a breakdown in front of. They'd gotten extremely close after the battle. Even Neville, his other best mate, hadn't done what Seamus had done. Seamus saved him. He saved him from completely throwing his life away. When Dennis contemplated suicide, Seamus was there to comfort him and reassure him that there were better options. Dennis owed his life to him.  
"I miss him," Dennis' voice cracked. "I miss him so much..."  
"I know you do," Seamus said softly.  
"I want to die," he whispered so soft that his friend barely heard him.  
Seamus stiffened. "No you don't," he countered.  
"I do," Dennis insisted. "If I died I could be with him again."  
"Dennis-" Seamus started but he wasn't listening.  
"Please Shay...Don't worry. It's just a thought."  
"Thoughts lead to actions," Seamus said fiercely. Dennis flinched at his tone.  
"I won't..I promise."  
Seamus relaxed, if just a little bit. Dennis didn't lie. He decided to change the subject. "What do you think Colin would be doing now if he was alive?" he murmured.  
Dennis' crying lessoned up. He was still leaning onto his friend for dear life. Just for a moment, a tiny smile made its way on his face. "I think he'd be a reporter," he began in a whisper. "He'd work for the Quibbler, 'cause the Prophet's rubbish and he'd be a darn good one. He'd be dating Luna Lovegood because I always thought they'd end up together. And we'd share a flat until he got married. Maybe he'd have kids first I dunno but either way one of us would have kids and we would be the best uncles ever."  
Seamus smiled. "That sounds great, Den."  
Dennis's heart stopped for a moment. Colin had been the only one to call him Den or Denny; not even their parents did. It was sort of their special thing.  
"Yeah," he murmured.  
The two stayed in the embrace for a few more minutes, each deep within their own thoughts. They didn't even hear the screen door screech as it was opened nor the pitter patter of feet. "Uncle Seamus?" Their heads turned at the sound. Teddy stood before them, his expression concerned. "Is he okay?"  
Seamus considered shooing him away, he didn't need to see this. "Teddy, go to your room, please."  
"No, it's okay," Dennis lifted himself from the embrace, stretching slightly. He addressed Teddy. "No. I'm not okay."  
The child's mouthed formed and 'o'. "Why not?" he frowned.  
"Why don't you sit down next to me," Dennis patted the spot to his right. Teddy obeyed. "I'm sure Harry told you about the battle of Hogwarts?"  
Teddy nodded. "My parents died in the battle," he said solemnly.  
Dennis didn't know that. "I'm sorry. My brother, Colin, died too. He was sixteen."  
Teddy did something unexpected; he hugged him. Dennis froze but relaxed into the hug. Teddy's head was buried in his neck. "I'm sorry."  
"Don't be," Dennis advised. He stroked the ten year old's hair. "I should be sorry for you. I can't imagine being without my parents."  
"And I can't imagine being without my brother if I had one."  
Dennis smiled weakly.  
"Dennis, would you like to stay for dinner?" Seamus offered. "I'm ordering pizza," he paused when Teddy whooped.  
"No, thank you," he declined the offer. "I have stuff to do." Seamus knew exactly what he meant.  
"Okay," the Irishman said. "Well, Teddy and I will be expecting you sometime within the next week," he winked.  
"I'm sure you will," Dennis chuckled. He rose to his feet after giving Teddy a quick goodbye hug and headed over to the fireplace. "Mind if I use some?" he gestured to the floo powder.  
"Go ahead," his friend shrugged. "I don't use it much."  
"Mr. Creevey," Teddy jumped up. "Wait!"  
"Dennis," the older man corrected. "Call me Dennis."  
"Dennis," Teddy tried it out. "Can you show me a picture of Colin sometime? I'll show you some of my parents, you know, if you don't mind..."  
Dennis thought about it. Did he mind? He never showed anyone pictures of his brother but somehow it would feel right to do with Teddy. Perhaps because they both lost people special to them. Or maybe perhaps it was Teddy's genuine interest. "Sure. I'll bring it over next time i come over."  
The child beamed and thanked him. Dennis bid them both goodbye and flooed back to his flat. Upon his return, he slowly made his way to the bedroom, both dreading and longing for what he was about to do. He opened his closet, carefully picking up an old photo album and a camera; Colin's camera. He set them on his bed in perfect positions: the album was in the middle with the camera to its right. His breath hitched as he pulled the album open. Every picture had a slot in a plastic covering to protect it. He slid each one out, arranging them on his bed according to their date. After they're all laid about, he observed them. He imagined each story behind every photo. He glanced at the first picture Colin ever took of Harry. He hadn't been expecting it, which was evident by his stunned facial expression. He remembered Colin had told him all about Harry; how great he was, how humble he was, how he didn't act like the typical muggle celebrity.  
Soon it became time to put the photographs back in their place. He had to be extra careful when handling the album; it was old. It was beginning to break and tear but he knew he had to keep it. He could never get rid of it; never. Colin would've kept it.  
So he does too.  
After he finished, he closed it and for a few minutes, his tearstained eyes turned to stare at Colin's beloved camera. It's old as well, but unlike the photo album, it's not breaking just yet. He spots some dust on the lens and he obligated to clean it. He accico-d a couple tissues and some rubbing alcohol. He wipes the lens ever so gently; as if scared he would break.  
After he finished doing that, he picked up everything and gently set it back in the closet. He slammed the door with a bang and fell on his bed, suddenly feeling downright exhausted. He wasn't sure why he did it every year; maybe it was a coping method. Whatever it was, he just started it the first anniversary of Colin's death. It became ritual that he couldn't stop. It happened every year. Every bloody year. He tortured himself by staring at those bloody pictures until he wanted to drop down crying. And every single time he promised himself it was the last time.  
It never was.  
He stared up at the ceiling with sullen eyes. His eyelids were droopy and his body begged for sleep. As he was beginning to fall in a deep sleep, he whispered to the air, "I love you Colin..."


	2. Chapter 2

Seamus woke up annoyingly early the next morning by Teddy jumping on his bed. He gave the child his best death glare and told him to go back to bed but the ten year old was unfazed. He shook his uncle roughly, kindly demanding pancakes for breakfast. Seeing that he wouldn't be getting any sleep, Seamus got up while muttering about evil nephews. Teddy giggled and joined him in the kitchen, sitting on the countertop as he watched.  
As Seamus poured the ingredients in a bowl, his thoughts wandered back to yesterday. He'd been shocked that Dennis actually came to see him and even more shocked when he accepted his offer for dinner, course that was for another night but still. The fact that he didn't immediately deny it but amazing.  
He felt bad for Dennis. He'd lost his best friend and hadn't been the same ever since. He wished he could do something. Dennis didn't deserve this. He'd been a bright, extremely happy kid when he came to Hogwarts. But everything changed his fourth year. He changed. Heck, everyone changed.  
He flipped the pancakes in a daze. He needed to do something for Dennis but what? His face scrunched up with concentration. Hmm. It had to be something elaborate and big, too. Something that would finally make him happy, at least for a little bit. Seamus was jarred from his thoughts by smoke reaching his nostrils.  
"Oh, Merlin!" he quickly turned the stove off, staring at the burnt pancakes when suddenly, he had an epiphany.  
"That's it!" he cried, startling Teddy. He hurriedly put the food on a plate and practically shoved them on the table. "Here eat these."  
"They're burnt, Uncle Seamus," the ten year old whined.  
"Eat them anyway," Seamus said distractedly. "Hurry up."  
"Why?' Teddy demanded. "What are we doing?"  
"You are going to see Dennis."  
"Really?" he said happily.  
"I've got errands to run so he can watch you for a bit," Seamus gulped down a cup of pumpkin juice in two swift chugs. Teddy watched him, unimpressed.  
"You did your errands the other day, remember? We went to the park afterwards."  
Merlin the kid had a good memory. "Yeah well I need to run some more."  
"What's really going on Uncle Seamus?" Teddy crossed his arms.  
Seamus sighed. "I really don't know yet, kid. I want to do something for Dennis and I'm going to Harry for help. I'll tell you when I know, okay?"  
"Okay," Teddy grinned boyishly.  
Seamus chuckled. "Now eat up. And maybe I'll get us ice cream when I come back for ya." Teddy perked up at hearing his favorite treat. He dug into the pancakes with full force.  
Dennis woke up with a pounding migraine. His head felt like it was splitting open as soon as the light reached his face. He gingerly got out of bed, heading for the kitchen with his eyelids half open half closed. Pouring himself a cup of pumpkin juice, he sat down at the table while thinking the previous day over. Even if his reason for visiting Seamus hadn't a happy one, Teddy had managed to brighten his day up just a smidge. The kid reminded him of Colin when he was young. He was cute, too, like all kids were at that age. At one point in his life, he hoped to have a family of his own. But that idea was shot out the door after Colin died. He was too depressed to commit to a relationship. Seamus insisted having a girlfriend would do him some good. He snorted. He'd only neglect her and it would lead to problems for the both of them. It was better he stayed single.  
Dennis didn't bother eating, just drank his juice and preceded to get dressed. He pulled a short sleeved blue tee-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts on. When he returned to the kitchen, he found an owl impatiently waiting for him. "Hey, girl," he petted her feathers. She cooed at him as he untied the letter attached to her leg.  
Dennis,   
I hate to ask this of you but you seemed to have forgotten to grade some papers. Argus came across them when he attended to your classroom. Would you mind coming back and grading them? If you cannot, I would be more than happy to do it for you.   
Minerva   
Dennis slapped his forehead. He'd been so distracted he hadn't even thought about grading. He hastily wrote her back saying he'd be right in. He brushed his teeth and was about to leave when he heard a voice calling his name from the living room.  
"Dennis!" Seamus sounded out of breath. "Could you watch Teddy for a couple hours? I've got errands to run and I don't want to drag him through all of it."  
Dennis hesitated for a moment. "Well, I suppose. I've got to go back to Hogwarts and grade some papers I'd forgotten but I'd love to take the little guy." Seamus sighed in relief,  
"Thanks mate. I owe you one."  
"Nah," Dennis waved it off. "You're my friend. It's part of the contract."  
Seamus pulled the shorter man in for a hug. "You're the best. I'll be back around lunch time. Bye Den. Bye Teddy," he ruffled the child's hair and disapparated away in a flash.  
Teddy twiddled his thumbs, smiling shyly. It was one thing to be with Seamus and Dennis but to just be with Dennis was an entirely new situation.  
"So," Dennis didn't have much experience with children, so he'd have to try his best. "You've used the floo before, right?"  
The child stared at him with a 'duh' expression. "Oh," Dennis said, realizing his mistake. "Right." His cheeks went a light pink. "Well, we can use it today and I'll find you something to do while I grade. How's that sound?"  
Teddy didn't respond but he didn't contradict him so Dennis assumed he was okay with the agenda. "You go first," he encouraged gently. The ten year old shrugged, stepping into the fireplace with the floo powder. After he went through, Dennis followed. Hogwarts had added a fireplace In certain corridors during the remodel. It was certainty less awkward than landing in the Headmistress' office. 

Teddy had never been to Hogwarts before, not even when he was in the care of Harry. His eyes were wide as saucers as he observed his new surroundings. Dennis was dusting himself off when Teddy gasped in delight. "What?" Dennis turned around.  
"It's the giant squid!" Teddy crowed in happiness. "Harry told me one boy fell in when he and the other first years were coming across the lake! And the squid rescued him!"  
Dennis felt a simmer of warmth knowing that Harry had talked about him, even if it wasn't his finest moment. "Well that boy was me," he told an amazed Teddy. "It's all true. I leaned over the boat too much and fell in face first."  
Teddy stared at him as though he were a legend. "Wow."  
Dennis chuckled. "C'mon, let's go inside." They roamed the empty halls, Teddy had a firm grasp on his hand. He ooed and awed at the moving portraits, the long staircases, everything.  
"Hello Dennis!" Nearly Headless Nick greeted him by McGonagall's office. "Quite a treat to see you here, eh! And who's this charming lad?" He motioned to Teddy, who'd squeaked and hid behind Dennis' leg.  
"Hey Nick. This is Teddy's, he's Harry's godson. Seamus usually watches him in the summer, but he had errands to run so he asked me to. It's okay, bud. Nick won't hurt you," Dennis gently pried the young boy from his leg. "That's Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost."  
"Actually, I prefer Sir Nicholas De Mimsy-"  
"Oh, can it," Dennis snorted.  
Teddy stepped forward a bit. "H-hi I'm Teddy. Why are you called Nearly Headless Nick?" The ghost looked miffed at the question and Dennis had to stifle back a laugh.  
"Because of this," Nick said dully. He pulled at his ear and almost his entire head came off, it landed on his shoulder which Nick held as if it were a platter of appetizers.  
Teddy gasped. Dennis expected him to turn green or puke, but he didn't; he looked as every bit of excited when he'd told him Harry's stories of the boy had been him. "That's so  
cool!" he cried, startling Nick. "Can you do it again?" he asked excitedly. Dennis heard Nick's scoff and took the opportunity to usher Teddy to his classroom.  
"Sorry, Nick. Gotta go, lots to do."  
Now Nick looked positively peeved. With his hands on his transparent hips, he said, "Don't you want to hear my plans for Halloween? I have a treat that absolutely scare the first years' pants off."  
Dennis shook his head. "Sorry. You can tell me at the welcoming feast-bye!" He closed the door to the classroom, sighing with a fond smile. Nick became a great companion since Colin died. He'd first sought him out to find out if ghosts could find and talk to another fellow ghost. Unfortunately, seeing that Colin hadn't been afraid of dying, his spirit simply crossed over; leaving Nick without a way to communicate to him. It had been disappointing, but now he and Nick chatted about almost anything. It was a great friendship, er, ghostship.  
"What do you want me to do, Dennis?" Teddy was sitting in a chair in the front row, swinging his legs absentmindedly.  
Dennis sat in his big chair which overlooked the entire classroom. He was quite proud of 'his' room. It was medium size, with multiple large windows. The walls were painted in a maurel style courtesy of the volunteers who helped rebuild and repaint Hogwarts after the war. His room had several random objects, all muggle, of course. Posters of musicians like Paul McCartney, a beaker and test tube, a map of the world (Dennis was astounded to know that half of his students weren't even aware there was much life outside of England and Ireland); small toys such as a jump rope and chalk and other similar things. Once a month, depending on the chapter, Dennis took a day where the students got to play and explore different muggle contraptions. He'd completely revised the curriculum for Muggle Studies, something he was proud of.  
"I dunno, kid. What do you want to do?"  
Teddy frowned and shrugged. Dennis didn't want to leave him bored while he graded, who knows how long that would take, so he opened one of the drawers in his desk, pulling out two coloring books and a package of colored pencils. "Here you go."  
The ten year old's eyebrows furrowed. "What do I do?"  
Dennis demonstrated for him. "You just color in whatever colors you want."  
"So, I can make my tree pink and blue and green and yellow and brown with polka dots?" Teddy's eyes gleamed.  
Dennis laughed. "Of course. If you need anything just tell me." But Teddy had already started coloring, Dennis' words just went in one ear and out the other. The older man got to work immediately. He frowned, rolled his eyes or occasionally smiled at what he read from his first years. Some made an effort, some didn't; and it was clear which path they took when they wrote. Dennis hoped the new batch of first years coming in the fall would prove to be better listeners than his previous ones.

HPHPHP

It was a warm, sunny day when Seamus strolled into the Auror Department with a bright and cheery smile. Most of the females disliked him, Harry said it was because he's a flirt, but Seamus said it was because they were jealous.  
"Hello Serena!" he greeted the secretary who looked far from pleased to see him.  
"Finnigan," she drawled.  
"Oh, don't be like that, Ser," he winked. "We both know you've been dying to see me."  
She scoffed, mumbling something unintelligible. "Why are you here anyway?"  
"Oh, just making the rounds. Say, where are Harry and Malfoy?"  
"Auror Potter and Auror Malfoy are busy," she said icily.  
"I'm sure they won't mind," he attempted to get around the counter when he felt something hot on his arm. He yelped, covering the spot protectively with his hand.  
"I said they're busy!" she hissed, lowering her wand. "What part of that did you not understand?"  
"All of it," Seamus grinned cheekily. He dodged another shot by Serena's wand and heaved his legs down the hall until he saw an office door with the name Potter carved on the sign.  
"Hiya Harry!" he said cheerfully. As if he owned the place, he plopped down in a chair, stretching his legs out. "I think your secretary is on her womanly thing or something. She's a bit angry, you know."  
Harry Potter glanced up from his mound of paperwork, glasses askew on his face and heaved a sigh. "Hello Seamus. Teddy's not giving you a hard time, is he? Speaking of which," he blinked to properly look at his Irish friend. "Where is he? Oh, Merlin, Shay! You didn't lose him, again did you?"  
Seamus scoffed. "As if. Dennis Creevey is watching him for me."  
Harry looked surprised. "Dennis Creevey? Merlin, I haven't seen him in years. How is he?"  
Seamus' grin turned grim. "He has his good and bad days."  
"I see. He's what, twenty now?"  
"Yeah," Seamus leaned over to snag a pastry from Harry's desk. He munched on it happily as his raven-haired friend pursed his lips. "You have good taste in pastries, Harry." He licked the chocolate from his fingers.  
"Is there a reason you came here? Besides taking my food?" Harry realized he wouldn't get any work done with Seamus being there, so he sat his pen down.  
This snapped Seamus back to his original intent. "Oh, yeah! So, I was thinking we should do something for Dennis."  
Harry's eyebrows flew up to his hairline. "What kind of something?"  
"I dunno. Like a memorial for Colin maybe," Seamus suggested. "It 'll cheer him up!"  
"Because reminding him about his dead brother would definitely cheer him up," Harry said dryly. "Shay, what brought this on?"  
"He came over yesterday wanting to talk so I let him, and he started crying because Colin's death anniversary wasn't that long ago. He cried, and I held him and I dunno. I just want to cheer him up. He doesn't deserve this, Harry!" By now, Seamus's voice rose to a higher volume.  
"I know, Shay," Harry tried to placate him.  
"Harry, is everything alright?" Draco Malfoy stuck his head in, concerned.  
"Yes," Harry assured him. "Shay was just getting a little loud." Seamus grinned in embarrassment.  
"Oh, I see. Hello Seamus! How are you? How's Teddy?" After the war, Draco redeemed himself and became friends with most of whom were in the DA. Some, like Ernie MacMillan, were hesitant and suspicious of him but they soon came around.  
"Oh, I'm fine. And he's good, rotten as ever," Seamus said fondly.  
"That's great to hear," Draco said. "So why are you here for? And why were yelling?"  
"You remember Dennis Creevey, don't you?" Draco thought for a moment before answering.  
"He was related to, what's his name? Colin? The kid with the camera?"  
"Yes," Seamus nodded. "So, he came by yesterday and was understandably upset because it was the sixth anniversary of Colin's death. I think we should do something for him. Like a memorial or something."  
"But won't that upset him more? Reminding him that his brother is dead?" Draco furrowed his eyebrows. Harry gestured wildly in his direction.  
"Thank you! That's exactly what I was trying to tell him."  
Seamus scowled. "Well what do you suggest then?"  
"We leave it alone," Harry said firmly. "That's what we do." His friend's jaw dropped.  
"Harry! We have to do something!"  
"Shay.."  
"Please!"  
Draco watched them bicker with interest. Even though he didn't know Cree-Dennis, well, he still was interested in helping. He couldn't imagine losing so close like that. What if we could do something? He thought. Something better?  
He rushed out of the office and to his own without them noticing. He rummaged through his desk drawers, the filing cabinet and his bookcase before he found anything. Aha! He grinned.  
He arrived back to find Harry was standing with Seamus holding onto his leg like a child would his father. "Please," Seamus begged. "C'mon Harry!"  
"No! Now get off my leg!" Harry exclaimed, trying to jerk him off. But their Irish friend was stubborn; he held tighter.  
"If you girls are ready," Draco began dryly, effectively grabbing their attention, "I have something that just might fix our problem." He laid a think book on Harry's desk, wiping the dust off it.  
"What is that?" Seamus glanced apprehensively at the book.  
"It looks like something Hermione would read," Harry muttered.  
"The Timeline of Every Spell Ever Made," Draco read the cover.  
"Definitely something Hermione would read," Seamus rolled his eyes. "But how does this help us? I'm not reading that."  
Draco ignored him. He flipped through the book until he found his desired page. "There," he pointed. "That's what will help us." Harry and Seamus were dumbfounded.  
"Draco, you can't be serious..."  
"This is perfect!"  
Seamus, in his glee, let go of Harry's leg, jumping around. Harry, on the other hand, stood rooted on the spot, rubbing his face tiredly.  
"We can't use this." Draco and Seamus stared at him.  
"Why not?" their Irish friend cried. "It's perfect! We'll bring him back and Dennis will be happy again!"  
"Do you know how much trouble we could get into for this?" Harry hissed, his voice lowering when a passing co-worker raised his eyebrows at the trio. "This would get Kingsley involved and possibly even Azkaban. Do you want that, Shay?"  
"Well, no," Seamus faltered. He turned to their blonde friend for help. "It'd work, right?"  
"Errr," Draco wanted nothing more than to stay out of their disagreement. "I suppose so. Yo see there's-"  
"See Harry!" Seamus interrupted. "It would work! Can we please do it?"  
Harry sighed in defeat. 'We won't get permission for this," he pointed out lamely.  
Seamus grinned, throwing his arm around the other man's neck. "That's why we have you, Mr. Boy-Who-Lived."  
Harry tore away from him, shaking his head vigorously. "I'm not using my fame to get permission."  
"But Harry," Seamus whined, stomping his foot.  
"No," Harry all but growled.  
"Putting that aside," Draco cut in. "I think the spell might work. We just need four other people to make it work."  
"Why four?" Harry said.  
"Someone needs to hold the book." Seamus muttered about slave work. "Someone needs to cast the resurrection spell and two other people are needed for the two other spells we need."  
"Hold up," Harry read a section. "It says we need the Elder Wand for it to work completely."  
"So?" Seamus shrugged. "It's in Dumbledore's tomb, we can just get it."  
"You think Minerva will allow us to do that?" Harry said skeptically.  
"If not then we break in, no biggie," Seamus plopped down on the chair again.  
"Please tell me you have better ideas?" Harry pleaded to Draco.  
"Sorry, but if we want a shot at this we have to use it," Draco sighed.  
"I still don't like it," Harry adjusted his glasses. "Why was it outlawed anyway?"  
"Someone used it to bring back an evil sorcerer who tried to wipe out the earth," Draco explained. "That was in the fourteen hundred's. The Ministry put a stop to it so we wouldn't be found out by the muggles."  
"Fantastic," Harry said sarcastically. "Bloody fantastic. You want to use an outlawed spell."  
"It's only outlawed if you think of it that way," Seamus said, hitting his noggin, winking.  
"So, are we doing this?" Draco wanted to know.  
"I-Seamus, let go of my leg! I suppose," Harry relented. "But we'll have to be secretive about it."  
"Of course," Draco nodded seriously. 'Are we involving anyone else?"  
Harry thought about it. "Hermione, Neville, Luna and Ron.'  
"Gotcha. Speaking of which, where is Ron?" Draco hadn't had as much luck with him as everyone else. The redhead was still in belief that the blonde was a death eater in disguise.  
"Helping George at the store. He's having a rough time too," Harry frowned.  
"Maybe if it works we could bring Fred back too!" Seamus bounced off the floor and onto his feet.  
"Keep your voice down," Harry instructed. "If anyone hears we could be in huge trouble."  
"Shutting up," Seamus clamped his mouth down.  
"So, operation bring Colin back is a go?" Draco grinned.  
"You've been watching too many muggle movies," Harry rolled his eyes.

A groan escaped Dennis' lips. His 'few' papers he had to grade turned into a never-ending pile. Teddy, thankfully, never complained. He was engrossed in his coloring, never even looking up once. He was certainly calmer than his students, although that might change by the time he arrived for his first year.  
"Half an hour and I'll ask the house elves to make us something to eat, alright?" Dennis spoke up. Teddy jerked his hand in a way that Dennis assumed meant he heard. It was amusing to watch him. He'd never seen somebody so interested in coloring before. He made a mental note to get him some more for his birthday.  
Dennis crossed his arms, glancing around his classroom again. His eyes caught a particular picture on his desk. It was one of the last pictures of him and Colin during Colin's fifth year. They were outside, standing under a tree. It was a moving picture, so Colin's arm would loop around his neck and he would ruffle his hair, laughing. Picture Dennis grimaced jokingly.  
The real Dennis gently caressed Colin's face with his thumb. Oh, how he wished he could return to that moment and relish in it. He'd always taken for granted the time they shared. Despite what everyone assumed, he did get annoyed with his brother sometimes. Colin didn't have really any friends of his own, except for Luna occasionally, but that flickered away because Colin could never get the courage to face his shyness he had when it came to girls. So, he typically tagged along with Dennis and his friends. At first, they didn't mind; his friends had thought it was somewhat cool to have an older guy hang out with them. But soon, Colin overstayed his welcome. He chattered too much and his picture taking tendencies bothered Dennis' friends. They gave Dennis a choice-get Colin to leave them alone or get new friends. Not willing to abandon his brother, Dennis chose the latter.  
A single tear fell down his cheek. He hadn't had the heart to tell Colin that 'their' friends abandoned them because of him. He lied and said he had a fight with them over blood status. Colin had that skeptical look to him but seemed to believe his story. Dennis hated lying to his brother, but he knew he'd be crushed if he knew the real reason.  
"Dennis?"  
Teddy had awakened from his coloring coma and was glancing at him with childish innocence.  
"Yeah?" Dennis hurriedly wiped his tear away, sitting up straighter in his chair.  
"Are you okay?" The question was simple, but for Dennis, it opened a huge can that he would rather stay shut.  
"N-No," he choked out. "Not really." Teddy did something unexpected: he slid out of his seat, coming over to envelop him in a hug. He stood on his tiptoes so he could reach Dennis' hair, to which he gently ran his fingers through.  
"Harry does this when I have a nightmare," was his way of explanation.  
Dennis' instincts told him to push the child away. He didn' let anyone but Seamus touch him; yet, the more he felt it, the more he didn't mind.  
It felt good to have someone else care.


	3. Chapter 3

La Coila was a cozy little cafe located in the back of Diagon Alley. It was fairly new, having opened only a month prior. Seamus admired the interior from his seat. It's theme was nature, the decorations illuminated this. The walls were a cream color and pictures of different outdoor escapades were hung up. As such, to keep the theme recurring, the roof was retractable which currently provided Seamus an opportunity to bask in the warm sunlight as he sipped his firewhiskey.  
Harry promised everyone would meet up for lunch to discuss their proposal. Seamus had sent Dennis a quick note, explaining the situation. The reply was quick; Dennis didn't mind, he enjoyed getting to know Teddy better. The Irishman was amused to find out Teddy unconsciously changed his hair color which nearly sent the younger man into early heart failure. He'd forgotten to reveal Teddy's ability.  
"Seamus!"  
Neville pulled him in for a man hug, something he reciprocated. Neville had grown up, physically and mentally, since their Hogwarts days ended. For one, he wasn't the same pudgey, timid little boy. He had muscles now and even grown a few inches. His bravery was somewhat of a joke during his early years, but after the battle, everyone saw just what of a hero he was. It was certainly a glow up, as the muggles said. He'd even started donning muggle clothes, as influenced by Seamus. Seeing that there was no school, he wore a pair of cargo shorts and a plain black t-shirt. His hair was shaggier now but it was neatly combed,  
"It's good to see you," Neville gushed, making his friend laugh.  
"Nev, we just saw each other a few weeks ago."  
"Doesn't mean I can't be happy."  
Luna followed Neville's appearance. She still had that air of dreaminess around her. In all, not much changed for her. She followed her father's line of work for the moment; she was in the process of becoming a naturalist. "Hello Seamus, Neville," she greeted. "I hope you're both doing well."  
Seamus gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I am, thanks, Luna. How have you been?"  
"Oh, just lovely. Rolf and I discovered a new species of Nargles this past weekend." Rolf was Luna's boyfriend of two months and was just as eccentric as she was. Seamus learned to just smile and nod when the talk of their creatures came up.  
Seamus sighed dramatically. "Bound to be on the front page, I expect."  
Luna giggled. "Silly, they're invisible."  
"Ah, yes. My mistake."  
The trio chatted animatedly until they heard the unmistakable sound of Hermione Granger scowling at Ron Weasley.  
"Honestly, fighting in the store...I'm surprised George didn't kick you out!"  
"But Mione," he whined. "He provoked me!"  
"I hardly think Marcus Flint browsing around is provoking you."  
"He spoke ill of Fred!"  
"He said his death was tragic and he was sorry! Honestly, Ronald, pay attention!"  
Their bickerment ended when they spotted their friends. Hermione detached herself from the redhead, rushing over.  
"Hello! Oh, you heard our argument didn't you?" her cheeks reddened by Seamus' smirk and Luna's giggle.  
"Pretty sure Durmstrang heard you," the Irishman smiled cheekily but yelped moments later when her hand came swatting at his face, he narrowly escaped.  
"So, why are we here?" Ron ever so elegantly plopped onto the chair. "Harry didn't tell us." Seamus eyed him. He wasn't exactly what Harry had told them so he wasn't going to spill anything. "I dunno, he didn't tell me either."  
"Tell you what?" Harry came into the restaurant with Malfoy in tow. He was still wearing his auror robes. "Hello everyone."  
"Harry!" Just like she did when they were young, Hermione jumped up to give him a bone crushing hug. "I haven't seen you in forever," she scolded. "You will need to come around for dinner sometime."  
Chuckling, Harry untangled himself from her hug, kissing her on the cheek. "Hello Hermione, lovely to see you too," he teased. She huffed.  
"Hello Draco," Luna smiled at the platinum blonde.  
"Hello Luna," he kissed her cheek. "How are you?"  
"Oh, just wonderful-" Before Luna could immerse herself in her nargle talk again, Seamus cleared his throat, remaining Harry the reason he called for the meeting.  
"Erm, yes," Harry sat motioned for them all to sit down. "Seamus came to me this morning-"  
"Did you make Serena angry again?" Ron sniggered.  
"You seem to have a habit of doing that," Neville remarked.  
"Anyway," Harry rolled his eyes. "He said Dennis Creevey came by his flat yesterday and was very upset."  
There was murmurs that traveled around the table. "I haven't seen Dennis in years," Hermione noted. Directing her question toward Seamus and Neville, she asked, "He works at Hogwarts, doesn't he."  
"Yeah," they nodded. "He teaches Muggle Studies," Seamus leaned back into the chair with his arms back behind his head.  
"I thought he went back to the muggle world," Ron said. "You know, after what happened to Colin."  
Draco, Harry and Seamus shared a glance. "That's actually I called you all here," Harry revealed. They looked intrigued.  
"Harry," Hermione's voice held a warning. "What are you up to?"  
He didn't answer her. "Seamus gave the idea that we should do something for Dennis."  
"Like what?" Neville asked.  
"Maybe we could give him a card or something," Ron suggested. He turned to Hermione. "What do the muggles do for this sort of thing?"  
"Well," she thought. "He's already had a memorial but I suppose we could do another one."  
"I don't think that's what Seamus had in mind," Luna said dreamily. "You look like you want to share something, Draco."  
This startled Malfoy. He never realized how perceptive she was. "Er, yes. I do have something to share."  
"Figures," Ron muttered.  
"Have anyone of you read The Timeline of Every Spell Ever Made?" Draco asked the table. Neville and Ron stared. Luna shook her head. "I don't believe so," she said. Only Hermione seemed to know what he was talking about.  
"I haven't read it," she said. "But I've heard of it."  
"Of course you have," Seamus teased. She mock scowled.  
"But what does a book have to do with anything," Ron asked in confusion.  
Draco unshrunk the book from his pocket and opened it up to his desired page. "There," he pointed. "That's why."  
"A resurrection spell?" Neville was gobsmacked. "There's such a thing?"  
"Why didn't anyone tell us that before?" Ron's ears turned red, a sign he was beginning to get angry. "Do you know how many lives we could bring back?"  
"Stop it!" Harry hissed. "We can't have others hearing us." He casted a privacy spell, knowing the redhead wasn't in any mood to calm down.  
"No, Harry!" Ron was persistent. "Why weren't we taught this in Hogwarts? Why are we just learning about this now?"  
"Because it's dangerous," Hermione, who hadn't said a word since the revelation, lifted her eyes from the section she was reading. "It's also outlawed." She glanced at Draco and Harry. "Why are you showing us this?"  
"Because I want to bring back Colin," Harry sighed. Neville's glass slipped from his hand. Hermione let out a gasp. Ron stared stupidly with his mouth open and Luna just smiled.  
"That's an awfully nice thing to do, Harry," she complimented.  
"Thanks Luna," he chuckled, feeling his tension leave his body.  
"Harry," Hermione ran a hand through her hair. "Why do you want to do this?"  
"Yeah! Why Colin bloody Creevey of all people?" Ron slammed his fist on the table.  
"Ron-" Seamus started.  
"Shut up Seamus! Why didn't you think of us when Fred died? Huh?!"  
"Ron," Hermione said softly. "Calm down, you're overreacting."  
"Overreacting? Hermione my brother is dead! DEAD! Fred considered Harry to be family and I thought Harry thought the same," Ron's face was a brilliant shade of red by this point.  
"Ron," Harry felt a little hurt if he was honest. How could he think that? "Of course I considered you all family!"  
"Then why are we bringing back Creevey? The kid annoyed you and pestered you for pictures! Oh, Harry, can I have a chat with you? Oh, Harry, you look smashing today. Oh, Harry, can I lick your shoes?" Ron sneered. "You'll bring back some obsessed fan over someone who considers you their little brother. That's it. I'm done." He stood up, walking right out without a glance back.  
The table quieted down. Tears ran down Hermione's face while Harry sat in his chair, emotionless. He couldn't believe Ron would say such things. Did he not think that Harry was upset over Fred's death as well? That it didn't sting when he only only saw one twin and that twin was easy to tell who he was because of his lack of ear? Fred's death had been hard on Harry, nearly as hard as his parents.  
Draco rubbed his shoulder. "He'll cool down soon."  
"Maybe," Harry smiled weakly.  
Seamus cleared the tension in the air. "Well, I suppose we could meet at another time.."  
"No," Harry said abruptly. "Let's continue," he glanced at everyone, "if it's alright with you lot." Nobody had any objections. "Right, well-"  
"Why are you doing this, Harry?" Hermione repeated her earlier question. "Why all of the sudden did you agree to this?"  
"Dennis has suffered so much from Colin's death. I-we need to help him," Harry said simply.  
"This isn't going to be easy," Neville pointed out. "Don't we need permission to use this kind of spell?"  
"We do," there was a collective sight around the table, "but, we'll do it secretly." Hermione looked unconvinced.  
"Harry," she touched his arm, "if we get caught the consequences could be dire. We could lose our jobs, get arrested and sent to Azkaban. Is it really worth it?"  
"Yes," he spoke firmly. "If you don't want to be involved then leave. There's no hard feelings." He was satisfied when no one left, they stayed planted to their seats.  
"What does does the spell require to work?" Seamus asked, helping the conversation further along.  
"Besides the resurrection spell, we need two other people to perform two other spells-Rennervate and Protego Totalum. We will also need the Elder Wand to cast the resurrection spell," Harry read from the book.  
Hermione shifted uneasily in her seat. "Those are very specific instructions. Are you sure we can do all that?"  
"Of course," Harry said immediately. "Look, I'll cast the spell, Hermione you can cast Rennervate, and Draco can cast the last one. Seamus can hold the book for us."  
"I've been reduced to a slave," Seamus grumbled good naturedly.  
"Hang on," Neville interrupted. "If you three are casting the spells and Seamus is holding the book; then why did you ask for Luna and I to come?"  
"We need all the help we can get," Harry answered. "This is secretive. No one else can know. We've done things like this before and we can do it again," he tried to sound encouraging.  
"You know, minus the whole bringing back someone from the dead part," Seamus pointed out cheerfully.  
"Shut up Seamus," Harry rolled his eyes.  
"But Harry," Hermione grabbed the book from him. "It says here we need a place that's high and with enough space for a ritual. Where are we going to find such a place?"  
"I know," Draco piped up, startling people who' forgotten he was there. "We can use the Sanctuary of Angels." Harry and Seamus stared at him blankly.  
"What's that?" Harry asked confusedly.  
Hermione was ecstatic. "Brilliant idea Draco!"  
"Again, what's that?" Harry repeated.  
Hermione stared at him exasperatedly. "If you'd of bothered to open up your History of Magic textbook you'd know."  
'Oh come on, Mione," Seamus leaned back into his chair lazily. "Who actually read that?"  
"I did," Luna's dreamy voice reached their ears. 'It was very insightful." Seamus ignored Hermione's smug grin.  
"Anyway," Harry was beginning to get impatient.  
"Anyway," Hermione continued. "It's one of the most historical places in the Wizarding World. It used to be a temple that medieval wizards came to pray at the angel statues until it was abandoned for an unknown reason. After that, many wizard duels occurred there. It's rumored that whoever disturbs the ghost's resting place, it will reenact the duels and the disturber will die a very slow and painful death."  
"Spooky," Seamus muttered.  
Harry glanced at Draco incredulously. "And you want to go there?"  
"It's the only way," Draco said.  
"Okay," Harry said resignedly. "Now that that's straightened out. What's the plan?"  
"We need to leave by dawn," Draco said to Seamus' horror.  
"Dawn?"  
"Yes dawn," the blonde said patiently. "It will take us ten hours to reach the Sanctuary. We'll need to travel by broom."  
"But my bum can't take that!" The Irishman protested. Hermione suddenly pushed away her menu.  
"I think I've lost my appetite," she muttered.  
"But won't we be seen then?" Neville pointed out. "If we need to be discreet that's not the way."  
"What if we apparate from Harry's house to the Forbidden Forest so we can get the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's tomb. Then we can ride to the Sanctuary," Luna finished, looking quite pleased with herself.  
"That's-" Seamus started.  
"That's brilliant," Hermione grinned before her smile vanished, replaced with a look of sadness. "But what about Ron?"


	4. Chapter 4

Dennis felt like he couldn't breathe. It was like he was drowning and his screams for help couldn't be heard. He was sinking slowly underwater, panicking but not able to move.  
Bit of a melodramatic today, aren't we?   
Shut up. Go away.  
And grumpy, I see.   
I said shut up!  
Dennis turned the sink on, relieving his burning face with the cool, cold sensation from the water. After his outburst, he'd hastily excused himself and rushed to the nearest boy's bathroom. He felt absolutely mortified that someone other than Seamus had seen him in such a state. How could he lose control like that? That wasn't like him. He was put together in front of other people.  
Colin would be disappointed in me, he closed his eyes in distress.  
He wanted to scream. He wanted to sob. He wanted to do something. That picture had triggered something in him; a response that he'd pushed away for a long time. He didn't want to think about Colin's death or even the life he had before it was taken away.  
He remembered how happy they were when they were kids; before the magic appeared and doomed them all. Colin was the best big brother ever. Nobody could top him. He never got angry at Dennis nor did he act the way typical big brothers did. No. Colin was perfect, dare he say it.  
They did everything together; their parents could hardly keep them apart. If you'd just met them, you'd of thought they were twins. Most people did. The boys didn't bother making friends at school, they had each other. The other kids thought that was weird, so they rejected Colin and refused to socialize with him. Colin shrugged it off, but Dennis knew that hurt him more than he let on.  
The summer Colin turned eleven changed the Creevey's life forever. He'd done a few strange things, but their parents passed it off as just seeing things. It was when Colin lavitated a cookie down for Dennis that they knew this was not just than seeing things.  
Professor McGonagall visited them in the middle of July. Dennis remembered that day vividly. He and Colin had played catch for most of the morning and planned on going swimming at the local community pool. It had a great shock to find their future professor standing in their living room, dressed in a magnificent robe that resembled a costume for Halloween. She explained that Colin had magic and would need to go to school to learn how to control it. Dennis eagerly asked if he had magic as well, but she couldn't answer that. She said he wasn't in the record book. Oh, how sad he'd felt! Tears had welled up, screwing with his vision. Colin nearly declined. It was too much to think he had something that his brother didn't have an even worse that he would go to a school that Dennis couldn't follow.  
Professor McGonagall was good about it. She stated that even though he wasn't in there now didn't mean he would never be. She said while it was rare to have two magical children in a muggle family, it did happen. This made Dennis feel a little better. And so, Colin accepted. A week later, the four of them and Professor McGonagall went to Diagon Alley to retrieve Colin's school things.  
You really should call her Minerva. You're not eleven anymore.  
Fine. Minerva showed them how to swap muggle money for Wizard coins. They just had enough for the supplies on the list. Unfortunately, despite their wishes, Coin was not able to buy a pet owl or even the cheapest toad. Their dad promised he'd save up enough for Colin to have one as a graduation present.  
But that never happened.  
It was when the five of them walked to the bookshop that Colin went searching for his books. Accidentally, he'd found one about Harry Potter. It amazed him that a baby could defeat a dark wizard. He stared at it for so long until Minerva urged him to get the last of his things, for she other business to attend to. Dennis would never forget that encounter nor would he forget the awed expression his brother wore. It would haunt him for the rest of his life.  
The rest of the summer was spent with Colin chatting happily about Hogwarts and, you guessed it, Harry Potter.  
"Oh, Dennis, do you think he'll wanna be friends with me?" Colin asked excitedly.   
Dennis smiled warmly. "Who wouldn't want to be friends with you, Col?"   
Dennis cursed out loud, recalling that day. Colin went to Hogwarts with the wrong idea. He'd thought Harry would want to be treated like most muggle celebrities did.  
But Harry wasn't like most people.  
He'd come to learn that Harry hated his fame and he hated it even more when people made a big deal of it. Colin did just that. He fawned over him like he was an endangered creature. His actions caused Harry to push away from him as did everyone else. Dennis had nearly cried when Colin sent him his first letter. There was a sense of false cheerfulness that he saw right through. He had no friends. No friends and all he wanted was to see Dennis.  
Still, despite this, Colin didn't complain. Rather than whine about his situation or stew in self pity, he focused on the bright side. He took bucket loads of pictures and sent the results back to his family while also maintaining brilliant grades that made their parents proud.  
It wasn't until Colin was petrified that Dennis became afraid. Extremely afraid. He could recall the letter sent by Minerva, detailing the events that occured and that an antidote was being made right away. Their parents were astounded something like that had happened to their eldest son. They contemplated taking him out of Hogwarts and enrolling him into the muggle junior high school that he would've gone to. The plan was dissolved when Minerva explained that Colin wouldn't be living with any permanent damage or such. Their mum and dad relaxed, allowing him to stay.  
Dennis hid his emotions well. To his mum and dad, he was fine but to himself, he knew everything was not fine at all. Before Minerva visited them, he'd stayed up countless nights, crying silently and begging the universe to spare him. Even when Colin came back home, safe and sound, it took all his strength not to rush into his arms and cry.  
The emotional trauma caused him to develop a fear of losing his brother. He spent many nights waking up from a horrific nightmare, one that usually featured Colin had died from the petficiation. He would end up slowly creeping to Colin's room, peering in through the crack of the door, and he would make his way to the end of his bed where he watched his brother's chest rise and fall. He never knew his parents had caught him doing it once. They never brought it up and neither did he.  
September first of 1993 was difficult; more than it should've been. Dennis had clung to his brother's side all summer, unwilling to leave him alone for more than a moment (Colin had told him more than once that no, he could not follow him on the bathroom). Now, here he was, having to watch him leave again. What would happen this time? His brain was on overdrive that morning; something only his parents knew of. He didn't have the heart to tell Colin; knowing him, he'd drop everything and stay with him instead of getting his magical education. As much as Dennis wanted that, he knew the wizarding world was where his brother belonged.  
That year was thankfully dull in comparison to last year's. Colin wrote back as often as he could, alongside sending pictures of everything, including the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher: Professor Lupin. The man was super nice, he'd heard, and much more competent than the dolt they'd had last year that turned out to be a huge disappointment.  
Dennis didn't understand everything his brother wrote about. The dementors, Sirius Black, Azkaban, were a few things that flew over his head. The one thing that stood out right away was the boggart. Colin didn't disclose what his was and Dennis didn't ask. What he did know was, however, what his own would be. The same thought haunted him years later.  
Colin enjoyed his first two years at Hogwarts, even if they were a bit wonky. He became insanely overjoyed when Dennis himself began showing signs of magic.  
It had been an accident. He'd just been trying to get a frisbee down from a tree when he silently wished it was in his hand and suddenly there it was! Dennis was in absolute shock. He had magic! He was a wizard just like his big brother! Now, now he could go to Hogwarts as well! He ran back to their house and informed his family gaily.  
Just as she had done to Colin, Minerva came to talk to Dennis about his magic, though not in the same detail as she'd done with Colin. That same day they went to get school supplies for the brothers. Dennis noticed that Diagon Alley was different. Everything looks darker and people everywhere were skittish. Minerva wouldn't divulge any information than, but Dennis knew, now as an adult, it was Death Eaters that were causing all the trouble.  
Fast forward to September first, he and Colin woke up extra early, unable to sleep through their excitement. They ate a hearty breakfast of chocolate chip pancakes and orange juice before finishing the rest of their packing. The family sped off to Kings Cross at ten-thirty and made it there just in time. After giving their parents hugs and kisses, the brothers hopped on the train and searched for a compartment. They found one with Luna Lovegood. Colin introduced them. Dennis liked Luna, even if she was a bit strange. They talked excitedly, well, serenely for Luna as she never became excited, the whole way there. When they finally arrived, Dennis confided to Colin that he was a bit anxious about the sorting.  
"Don't worry about it, Denny!" Colin reassured, using that blasted nickname that he hated now. "All you have to do is go up when they call your name and the hat will put you in a house."   
"But what if I get in Slytherin?" Dennis asked fearfully. He'd heard from Colin's letters how mean the Slytherin's were and how most everybody hated them. "Are you gonna be mad?"   
Colin had brought him into a fierce hug, resting his head on top of Dennis' head. "Nothing could ever make me mad at you, Den. Even if you are in Slytherin, you'll be the best one ever! Now go get sorted, baby brother!"   
Much to his relief, he did not go to Slytherin. Between the nervousness and the happiness/shock from falling into the Black Lake, he was exhausted that night and fell asleep almost immediately. That year was the most exciting, most interesting year of his life. He began to love his homework (well, maybe not History of Magic). He and Colin tried making badges to support Harry in the tournament but Malfoy, who Dennis despised for making fun of his brother, ruined that idea.  
Speaking of Harry, Dennis felt a bit horrified by Colin's antics toward the raven-haired boy. Colin normally knew how to behave. This, this was just mad. Dennis tried to talk to him, tried to get him to understand, that maybe Harry ignored him because he didn't want a camera constantly clicking in his face or being asked dozens of questions all the time. Poor Colin didn't get it.  
When the Yule Ball neared, Dennis thought Colin would get asked by someone but that never happened. Colin wasn't that much interested in a ball anyway. He and Dennis went home that Christmas instead.  
When Harry Potter insisted Voldemort came back, he and Colin instantly believed him. They had no reason not to. Harry had slain the creature that had petrified Colin so the Boy-Who-Lived had Dennis' respect. Even when the next year rolled around and people called Harry a liar, they never swayed; never doubted and never questioned. They never hesitated when signing up for the DA either. Dennis hated Umbridge's unqualified teaching methods. How were they supposed to learn without using their wands!? Somehow, he'd managed not to receive a detention, despite being really close one day.  
Dennis thought after Umbridge was gone everything would be okay; everything would be easy. Everything would turn out alright.  
He had no idea how very wrong he would be.  
The next year, his third and Colin's fifth, was a bit darker. The whole school was tense from Voldemort and Death Eater attacks that were occuring. Some were hostile toward Slytherin students in particular since most of their parents were, in fact, Death Eaters. Potions was now taught by a new teacher, Slughorn, who Dennis liked immensely. He was far better than Snape; he hardly criticized and never belittle them. He was surprised to find out he was a Slytherin.  
Colin had somewhat given up his infatuation, as Dennis liked to call it, with Harry. He still rooted for him and all, but he could tell Harry's short temper with him was the result of his idiotic behavior from first year. It hurt, but he moved on. He found other things, people, to photograph and while he was teased from time to time, it never bothered him and he never complained.  
The end of the school year marked the end of freedom for everyone, muggle borns in particular. Dumbledore was killed. His funeral was on school grounds, the brothers both attended. It was so somber Colin didn't take any pictures out of respect. For the first time since arriving at Hogwarts, Dennis felt afraid. With Dumbledore gone, who would protect everyone?  
That summer was a hard one. Their parents weren't sure if returning to school was the best option at that point. It caused a rifle in the family. Colin was uncharacteristically angry. He shouted at their parents, yelled, slammed his bedroom door. Dennis had never seen his brother act like that before, neither had their parents. It was a huge shock.  
But than again, so was the letters sent to them stating they'd been expelled from Hogwarts and were to come to the Ministry to be registered. Dennis remembered exactly what he had been doing the moment the letters arrived. The family had finished breakfast, preparing to discuss school arrangements. Dennis sat next to Colin, wishing to return as well. An owl pecked on the window with two letters attached to its leg. It was thought that it was their school supply lists but nothing could've prepared them for what it said inside.  
Dennis had felt like he was drowning on dry land. Expelled? They hadn't done anything to warrant this! It was the Death Eaters, he knew. Voldemort had taken over the Ministry, he later found out.  
Their parents didn't take it as hard as they did. It was just another reason to return to the life they once had before magic appeared. Within a week or so the boys were enrolled at Magnolia High School. Dennis had felt a weight on his heart while he and Colin waited to be seen by the guidance counselor. It was tough, but she managed to get the into the classes they needed. They were given a handbook and schedule. Dennis cried himself to sleep that night and he was sure Colin did too.  
By the end of July, early August, they were signed. They were going to Magnolia and had absolutely no say about it. That was another day Dennis remembered well. He and Colin were outside, lollygagging around...  
"I'm bored," Dennis complained, tossing another pebble. "I don't want to go to Magnolia!" he scowled, tossing the pebble with more force than necessary.   
"I know," Colin said patiently. He fiddled with his camera. "It might not be so bad," he dared to smile, the same kind that Dennis was used to seeing. "I haven't been to a muggle school in years; might be good scenery for pictures." He tried to stay positive for his brother but even Dennis knew how much this was killing him. Colin had plans. He'd been thinking about becoming a reporter for one of the papers or an auror (personally, Dennis wasn't so sure about this one. Colin was not athletic and that job required a lot of movement). His OWLS had been fantastic and now all he needed was to pass his NEWTS. Now all his hard work didn't matter. His dreams got crushed and shattered in the means of a mere letter.   
"Don't act like you want to go," Dennis' tone was impassive. "You miss Hogwarts just like I do."   
Colin flinched just a smidge. The 'H" word was unofficially forbidden as it forced them all to remember why they weren't accepted there anymore.   
"Don't be so dreary," Colin was determined to cheer his brother up. "We can still have fun at Magnolia."   
"How?" a look of incredulity crossed Dennis' face. "Doing stuff we haven't done since primary school? We'll fail, Col."   
"Have you ever known us to fail anything?" Colin asked, making his brother smile.   
"No."   
"Than why would we start now?" Colin pulled Dennis in a hug, ruffling his hair.   
They sat there for a while, enjoying the view of the sky and the embrace they didn't wiggle out of. The change came slow, Dennis first noticed the lack of birds in the sky and the sudden cold air that seemed to flow.   
"Are you cold too?" Dennis shivered.   
Colin had gone very pale. "No, no, no," he muttered frantically. He stood up, whipping out his wand to his brother's shock.   
"Col, what are you doing!?"   
"Get inside," Colin ordered.   
"What? Why?"   
"Just do what I say!" Colin snapped.   
Dennis rose to his feet, challenging him. "And if I don't?"   
Colin looked to be on the verge of a breakdown. "Now's not the time for this, Dennis."   
"Just tell me what's going on!" Dennis felt a little freaked out if he was honest.   
"Dementors," Colin whispered faitly. Dennis felt like fainting. Dementors? Here? "Get inside now!"   
"No," Dennis would never forgive himself if something happened to Colin. He whipped out his wand as well. "I'm staying with you."   
"You can't use magic," Colin reminded him.   
"Neither can you," Dennis retorted.   
Colin didn't have a reply for that. "Fine...Just be careful."   
The dementors came flying everywhere. If the muggles didn't notice it at first they were noticing it now. Dennis could feel some of the little happiness he felt ripping away from him. To his side, Colin was there, that determine, brave expression never left his face.   
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"   
A silvery cat came shooting out his wand, attacking all the dementors easily, like chasing a mouse. Dennis was frozen in his spot. He'd seen his brother's patronus before, but to see it in action was a completely different story.   
Within moments, they were gone. The sun came back out and the cold chill in the air was replaced by the warm sunny air.   
As much as he was impressed by it, he wondered what they would do now. "What are we gonna do? They'll be after us now!"   
"Not if we go on the run," Colin said calmly.   
"You're mad," Dennis said incredulously.   
"Dean Thomas went on the run," his older brother reminded him, "and he's still alive."  
"Dean is seventeen, Colin! He has magic to protect himself! What are we supposed to do?" Dennis ran a hand through his hair anxiously.  
"Just-just trust me, okay?" his brother pleaded.  
So Dennis did.  
They spent seven months on the run; skillfully hiding from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. When the DA was summoned to fight in the battle, Dennis knew without a doubt they'd be going. Call it Gryffindor courage or sheer stupidity, but Colin had to fight. Not because of his hero worship or overabundance of loyalty to Harry Potter. Not because he was a Gryffindor and felt he had to prove himself. Not because he wanted to be recognized. But because he knew that the wizarding world was theirs as well as any pureblood. He knew, regardless of blood status, they belonged there. He was ready to make a sacrifice.  
Even if it meant his life.  
"Dear me." Dennis jumped, jerking so hard his head hit the wall he'd been leaning against (when did he start sitting, he wondered). "Dennis, is that you?" Nick was floating by the door, transparent eyebrows furrowed in concern.  
"Y-yeah," Dennis choked out his reply, desperately trying to keep his voice even.  
"Are you alright?" Nick came beside him, asking tenderly. "Would you rather I leave and get Minerva? I do think she will be more helpful."  
"No," came Dennis' muffled reply. His face was buried in his knees that were pushed up to his chest. "Stay with me?" he knew he sounded like a child but at the moment he couldn't bring himself to care.  
"Of course," the ghost replied tenderly. He came beside his friend, 'sitting' with his arm looped around his shoulders. It caused a familiar icy feeling that for now, Dennis didn't mind. "What's got you all upset? Was it Teddy?"  
"No," Dennis denied. "I, er, it was the picture."  
Without elaborating, Nick knew exactly what he was referring to. "I am terribly sorry, Dennis. If it bothers you so, why don't you remove it?"  
"I can't," Dennis shook his head violently at the thought. "I can't, I can't, I can't.." He was panicking. "What if I forget about him? Or worse? What if-"  
Nick couldn't touch him like he wanted to so he could only rely on his voice. "Dennis," he said sternly. "Look at me."  
That did the trick. Dennis peered at him, his face tearstained and his eyes puffy. That familiar feeling of humiliation he felt earlier with Teddy came back. Why was he letting so many people see him break down?  
"I'm sorry," he whispered in defeat, startling the ghost.  
"Sorry? Whatever for?"  
"For letting you see me like this," Dennis swallowed, feeling that lump in his throat return. "I bet you think I'm pathetic."  
"Dennis," Nick sighed. "Do you know how long I've been a ghost?"  
Dennis thought before answering. "No," he admitted. "I heard it was a really long time though."  
"Exactly. I lived and died and now I reside here. You're not the first person I've seen crying and you won't be the last."  
"All of those people were students weren't they? Well I'm a professor now, I shouldn't be upset," his eyes began watering again. "It was six years ago, Nick. I should be better by now."  
"Grief has no timeline," the ghost said wisely. "And who says that because you're a professor that means you must have it all together?"  
"I should try," Dennis said weakly.  
"Or you can let it come naturally. You'll only end up hurting yourself if you try too hard."  
Dennis pondered his words. They sat in silence for a long time until he spoke again. "I let Teddy see me like this."  
"Oh? And what did he say?"  
"He tried to comfort me like Harry does to him."  
"Which was?"  
"Running his hands through my hair."  
"Did it work?"  
"Sorta," Dennis shrugged.  
Nick wrinkled his nose at his slang. "Dear me, can you not speak properly? What is this 'sorta' suppose to mean?"  
Nick's annoyance made him chuckle. "There's no need to laugh," the ghost huffed. "I was being serious about my inquiry."  
"Anyway," Dennis managed a tiny smile. "It kind of worked, yes."  
"I'm afraid I don't understand the problem then. Why did you come here to cry?" Nick said confusedly.  
Dennis' mood turned somber. His lip quivered while his eyes became misty. I'm so bloody emotional these days. He'd hoped Nick would figure that out himself; he really didn't want to discuss it anymore. He already felt like a great fool; no need for everyone to find out.  
But Nick was bloody stubborn. He waited patiently and Dennis had no doubt that even if he didn't answer today, it would be expected that he did someday and the ghost was keen on finding out, even if that meant stalking him while he taught his classes. Yes, that had happened before.  
"I made a fool of myself."  
"Pardon?" Nick hadn't heard him the first time.  
"I said I made a fool of myself," saying it aloud only made him feel more ashamed. "Teddy saw me freak out over a picture. Can you imagine what he'll say to Seamus? He won't be able to look at me the same way ever again!" Dennis panicked, breathing heavily.  
"There, there," Nick tried to comfort the young man. "Let's not overreact."  
"Overreact?" Dennis was wide eyed. "This is being realistic! What would you say if you saw a twenty year old crybaby?"  
"Dennis," Nick's tone became firm. "That is enough." His friend froze, not used to hearing that sort of tone coming from the usually jovial ghost. "Teddy is Remus' boy, isn't he?"  
Surprised, Dennis started, "How did you-"  
"Word travels. Now, Teddy lost both of his parents, didn't he?"  
'Yes," Dennis answered slowly. Why was he asking this when he already knew? "But I don't understand-"  
"And you lost your brother, correct?"  
Dennis stared at him for a long time before realizing Nick actually expected an answer. "Yes."  
"Well there you are!"  
"Huh?" Dennis decided the ghost had finally lost it. "What are you talking about?"  
"You and Teddy both lost people dear to you," Nick said like it was obvious.  
"What does that have to do with anything?" Dennis was too bewildered to cry now.  
"He has empathy for you! He knows exactly what it's like to have lost someone and won't judge you for your actions. He knows exactly how you feel."  
"I never thought about it that way," Dennis murmured. Nick looked pleased.  
"I'm sure if you just talk to the boy, he'll understand. Most would have made fun of you right then or laughed."  
"But he didn't," Dennis couldn't contain his grin. "He comforted me."  
"He comforted you," Nick affirmed.  
"Thanks Nick," he would have hugged him if he wouldn't just go through him. "I've got to go and make sure Teddy didn't wander off." Dennis leaped to his feet, jogging out of the bathroom. The Gryffindor ghost hovered by the sinks, feeling proud for his friend.  
Now I wonder where Peeves is, he thought with a sigh.  
An aggravated scream of "PEEVES!" by Filch gave him his answer.


	5. Chapter 5

"We know Ron's here," Hermione said with authority. "Tell him he needs to stop acting so childish and talk to us."  
After the little blow out at lunch, the gang had discussed the plan down to the last detail. Harry didn't want to exclude Ron, so he urged them to find the redhead and persuade him to join them. Neville, Luna and Draco had to get back to work but promised they would stop by Hogwarts later when Seamus got there to pick up Teddy. That was when they planned to announce their intentions to Dennis.  
George Weasley rubbed his stubbled chin, glancing at the three of them-Harry, Hermione and Seamus-the same way he did before he made an important business deal. "So ye vant to know where 'on is?" he said in a horrible impression of a badly done accent that clashed with his British one.  
"Yes," Hermione said through grit teeth. "Now tell us and cut the accent."  
George huffed but obliged. "Fine," he said, speaking normally. "He went upstairs. He's probably still sulking in the storage room."  
Hermione thanked them. Just as the trio were going up the stairs, he called, "Hey, what happened anyway? His face was so red you could've fried an egg on it," he sniggered.  
Seamus snickered but one look from Hermione shut him up. "We can't tell you yet," she said carefully choosing her words. "You'll find out afterwards."  
George smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. "One of those, eh?"  
"One of what?" Harry asked, speaking for the first time.  
"One of your 'adventures'," George said the last word with air quotes. "That's okay," he leaned against the counter. "Never tell me anything, I see," he feigned despair. "I was-sob-always the-sob-least favorite child."  
Hermione rolled her eyes and ushered Harry and Seamus to the top room; leaving George to his dramatic antics alone. "What are we even supposed to say to Ron?" Seamus asked in a hushed whisper. "He's not going to listen. Remember fourth year when he refused to believe Harry didn't put his name in the Goblet?"  
Harry glared at him in annoyance. "I was trying not to remember that. Thank you, Shay," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  
The Irishman grinned sheepishly. "Sorry."  
"We'll say," Hermione cut through their conversation before they could start to bicker. "That we need him and that it's up to him, obviously, but we don't want to do it without him."  
"But what about the whole Fred thing?" Harry felt a twinge of guilt pierce his heart at the name of the fallen twin. George, for the most part, acted like Fred hadn't existed. Like they didn't share twenty years of their lives together. Harry knew why, though. It hurt George so much to think of himself as only one now. If he pretended that's always how it had been, he couldn't feel hurt.  
"We'll deal with it delicately," Hermione said firmly. "Don't let him get to you, Harry. He's going to pull that card to try and guilt you. Don't let it happen."  
"Gotcha," Harry muttered.  
At the top, there was a door that had 'Storage Room' carved on the front in rainbow colors. Hermione gently opened it and immediately found Ron sitting on a crate, arms crossed and ready for confrontation.  
"What are you doing here?" he glared. "Come to talk me back into it? Well, it won't work." He declared childishly.  
"Ron-" Hermione tried to protest.  
"No Hermione! I'm sick of it. Harry thinks he has to save the whole bloody planet, but he doesn't even think of the people who showed him love and a place to call home when he didn't have one!" Ron abruptly stood up, chest heaving in anger. Instinctively, Seamus pulled out his wand, anticipating a fight.  
"Seamus, put that away," Hermione hissed. She turned to the redhead. "And Ron, how could you say that? Harry has been grateful for everything your family has done. Now this is his choice and if he wanted to bring back bloody Voldemort he can do it! It is his choice."  
"I didn't know she swore," Seamus whispered to Harry in awe.  
Ron looked like he'd been slapped. "Hermione..."  
"Ron," As of post war, Harry was fairly good at keeping his temper in check. Without having to deal with a lunatic trying to kill him or being guarded twenty-four seven, he was much more relaxed. But now he could feel it skyrocketing. "I never asked your family to do anything for me. Your mother sent me a Christmas present without me asking her to. Your parents allowed me to stay at the Barrow multiple times. You guys protected me when you should've been worrying about yourself. And you know what? I was grateful. I was grateful that I had people to care about me; not the Boy-Who-Lived but Harry. You know what else, Ron? I cared and loved Fred and George. They were the big brothers I never had. They didn't listen to the rumors second year; they stuck by me despite everything. They defended me, and Fred lost his life for me. There's not a day goes by that I don't think about Fred and what he would be doing now, had he still been alive."  
Hermione had tears in her eyes, dabbing them gently with her sleeve. Seamus also looked emotional but swallowed it back as to appear 'manly'. As for Ron, he didn't quite know what to say.  
"But-why Creevey? If you feel that way, why are we bringing him back? What about your parents or Sirius? Or Lupin or Tonks?"  
Harry took a deep breath, forcing back the intense feeling he felt at the mention of the people he cared about so much. "My parents have been dead for years, Ron. I've accepted it. I still get upset but that's natural. As for Sirius, Remus and Tonks, well, I'll feel better in time."  
The redhead blinked in confusion, so he continued. "They died for a reason. If my parents hadn't died, what would've happened to the wizarding world? Would Voldemort have gone after Neville and his parents? Would I be friends with you all?"  
"If they hadn't' died Sirius wouldn't have been accused and gone to Azkaban," Ron pointed out.  
"That's true," Harry said with forced calmness that he didn't feel. "But it all worked out. If Remus and Tonks hadn't died, I wouldn't be helping Andy raise Teddy."  
"That's the point," Ron insisted. "He needs his mum and dad. You know how sad he gets sometimes."  
"Sometimes," Harry emphasized. "He knows they didn't die in vain. He knows they sacrificed themselves for him; so he could have a better life."  
Ron made a face, struggling to come up with a reply. "But how do you think he's going to feel," he burst out, "when he finds out who you're bringing back? He's going to hate you."  
"Why would he hate me?" Harry said tiredly. He was beginning to regret trying to recruit Ron. It was obvious the redhead was going to put up a fight until he thought they would cave. But Harry was determined to stand his ground. Even if Ron decided not to accompany them, he was in no way going to give up on his idea of bringing Colin back.  
"Because you're choosing some obsessed fan over his parents!" Ron's arms flailed around as he spoke.  
"Teddy will understand," Harry said coolly. "And don't call Colin that ever again."  
Ron gaped at him like a fish out of water. "What's the matter with you?!" He demanded. "Have you- do you fancy him or something?"  
"No!" Harry snapped. "I just want to do a good thing. Dennis is miserable, Ron. Surely you know what that feels like?"  
The redhead flinched at Harry's remark. "Don't compare me to him, Harry. He doesn't know what loss feels like."  
"Oh yeah?" Harry challenged. "Tell me, Ron, what does it feel like?"  
Ron made to reply but a deep voice from behind them cut him off. "How dare you." It was George. His presence startled them, but he didn't laugh like he normally would have. His voice was laced with anger while his face was stony. Harry wasn't even sure exactly how long the older Weasley had been standing there; but from the looks of it, he'd been there long enough.  
"How dare you say such a thing, Ron. How dare you insinuate he doesn't know what loss feels like," George spat. "What? Suddenly you're an expert?"  
Harry had never seen either of the Weasley twins angry; let alone this angry. George practically had steam coming out of his ears.  
"But George," Ron said, clearly flustered from George's scolding. "Dennis only lost Colin. Colin didn't do half the amazing things Fred did-"  
"Colin was a person. It doesn't matter who did what, Ron! Dennis lost his older brother; someone he idolized."  
"Yes but-"  
"How would you have felt to lost all of us?" George asked thickly. "Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred and I, Ginny. Just how would you feel?"  
"Alone," Ron admitted. "And lonely. I probably wouldn't want to be around people anymore."  
"Exactly," George nodded. Seamus, Hermione and Harry were impressed. George had only ever used logic in his pranks but now, now he sounded mature and wise. No doubt Fred's death contributed to that. "And wouldn't you jump at the chance to at least one of us back?"  
"Yes," Ron said begrudgingly.  
"Then why are you trying to deny Dennis another chance at happiness?" George turned back around and left without another word.  
Ron was looking abashed, twiddling his thumbs while avoiding eye contact from the trio.  
"Well Ron?" Hermione spoke up for the first time in a while. "What do you have to say for yourself?"  
Ron swallowed, blinking back tears. "I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely. "I shouldn't have blown up like that."  
"No, you shouldn't have," Seamus agreed.  
"I was upset," the redhead continued. "But I'm not excusing my behavior."  
"Good," Seamus muttered, earning an elbow to the side by Harry.  
"I was so focused on Fred's death that I ignored everyone else losses. I hope you'll still allow me to come along."  
Harry pulled him in for a hug. "Of course." He reiterated the entire plan to Ron, who listened attentively. At the end, he spoke up. "Are you sure this will work?" he asked carefully. "Don't want to get his hopes up for nothing."  
"That's what I'm fearing," Hermione sighed. "Harry has confidence it will, of course."  
"And me," Seamus chimed in. "Don't forget about me!"  
"I don't think that's possible," Harry said dryly.  
"And did you say we're doing this illegally?" Ron said before the Irishman could make a comeback.  
"Yes," Harry nodded as Seamus beamed.  
"My favorite kind!"  
"What have you done illegally?" Hermione narrowed her eyes at Seamus suspiciously.  
"That's for me to know and you to never find out," Seamus replied with a smirk.  
Hermione scoffed.  
"But why?" Ron slumped back down on a crate, eyebrows furrowed.  
"No one will give us permission," Harry explained. "It's an outlawed spell."  
"But you're the Boy-Who-Lived!" Ron protested. "Can't you just get special permission. Merlin only knows all that you've done for the world."  
"That's what I said!" Seamus exclaimed.  
Harry flushed at the idea. "I don't want to do that," he shook his head stubbornly. "It's wrong and Rita Skeeter would have a field day."  
"He's right," Hermione agreed. "Skeeter would twist it to make him look like some brat who bribed to get his own way."  
"Like Lucius Malfoy," Harry said with humor.  
Seamus sniggered at his wisecrack.  
"We'll just keep it quiet for now. No one else can know; not even Minerva," Harry advised. "Got it?" he asked, staring particularly at Ron and Seamus, who were indignant by that.  
"Of course," they replied, Seamus being the one who huffed out his answer.  
Lapsing into a comfortable silence, the foursome settled into remembering certain memories of Colin Creevey as the plan mulled over in their heads. Harry remember their meeting when the flash of Colin's camera was the greeting before he spoke. That had been of great annoyance but now Harry wished he could take it all back; put those feelings aside and gotten to know the excited boy better.  
Hermione reminisced about the time Colin and Dennis eagerly signed up for Dumbledore's Army. Colin could be heard telling Dennis how great this was going to be since Harry was the teacher. A smile made its way on her features. Colin always believed Harry; no matter or what said otherwise.  
Ron remembered the time the Creevey boys made badges for Harry during the Triwizard Tournament. Malfoy had ruined that idea but it was the thought that counted.  
For Seamus, his was a little more somber. He hadn't come across Colin's body like Neville or Oliver Wood had during the battle. But he did hear Colin's death be announced and witness Dennis' breakdown upon hearing about his brother's death.  
"Where's Colin?" Dennis asked the two impatiently. "I need to see him."  
Seamus saw the shared glance between Neville and Wood and immediately knew what had happened.  
"Dennis," Wood began gently, his voice thick with emotion. "There's something we need to tell you?"  
"Tell me what?" by now, Dennis looked absolutely terrified. "What have you got to tell me?"  
"Colin is dead."  
Dennis had stood still for a long time, a stoic expression etched on his face. Neville went to embrace him and that's when chaos erupted. Dennis screamed in his agony, sobbing hysterically in Neville's arms. He'd pounded Neville's body with rage, not that Neville had minded. Seamus had been light headed after hearing that. Colin Creevey was dead? The kid shouldn't even have been fighting! All he could remember was the annoying little boy who came second year with a camera on his neck. Heaving a sigh, he closed his eyes.  
The muggles were right.  
The good do die young.


	6. Chapter 6

Dennis burst through the door to his classroom, beyond relieved to see Teddy was still coloring. "Good, you're still here." The ten year old glanced up, greatly pleased to see him. It was odd, after the conversation with Nick, Dennis felt like he knew Teddy better, understood him.  
"Why wouldn't I be?" Teddy's voice was laced with confusion. "You said you'd be right back."  
Ah, childhood naivety. So precious. Don't you wish you still had yours?  
"Right," he gave a little laugh. "I'd forgotten." He passed by the desk where Teddy sat, sitting down in a vacant desk adjacent to him. "Whatcha got there?"  
Teddy paused his coloring, holding up his half colored picture proudly. "It's a garden!" Indeed, the garden was colored in many unconventional colors. Dennis noticed the grass was purple, the fence surrounding the garden was yellow, the dirt was green and whatever was growing in the garden was blue. Comically, he noted Teddy was better at staying in the lines than he ever was.  
"You're really good at this," he complimented the ten year old who beamed at the praise. "Can I join you?"  
"Sure!" Teddy handed Dennis the other coloring book he'd given him and pushed the colored pencils close to the middle so they could both enjoy it.  
"You know," Dennis said as he began, "my brother and I used to color all the time. Used to hang out artwork on the fridge too."  
"Fridge?" Teddy blinked.  
"Refrigerator. You put food and drinks in it to keep it cold and fresh," Dennis explained automatically. Teddy's eyes shined with curiosity and he uttered, "Cool!" Dennis could only hope that when Teddy was old enough to come to Hogwarts he'd take Muggle Studies. The wonder he had about things and his willingness to learn was one of the reasons that made his job as a professor worthwhile.  
I've never heard anything so cheesy in my life!  
"You're lucky," Teddy's voice was soft, so soft that if Dennis hadn't been sitting so close, he would've struggled to hear him.  
"Why's that?" Dennis put down his materials.  
"You have memories of your brother. I don't have any memories of my parents," Teddy didn't cry, nor did he look sad, but he sounded a bit crestfallen.  
"Didn't anyone ever tell you about them?" By the look on Teddy's face, Dennis felt a pang of sympathy. It was clear that just wasn't enough. Just like how Dennis had spent eleven years with his brother, it just wasn't enough.  
"Sure, they did. Harry did, Grandma Andy did, Seamus did, the lot of them did. But that's not the same! I never knew them. I never got to call them mum or dad. I never got tucked in by them. I never got read a story by either of them. I never got to hug them," Teddy allowed a frown to appear on his face.  
Just like how you never got to see Colin graduate. Never got to see him get that reporter job. Never got to see him get a girlfriend or wife. Never got to see him apparate for the first time. And he never got to see your accomplishments either.  
Dennis felt a pang of sorrow that he quickly pushed away. This was about Teddy and his parents. Not him and his issues.  
"Although," Teddy continued. "I'm not angry for them dying. I knew they had to die so I could have a better life. I can't think of anything more sacrificing than that."  
Dennis smiled softly. Teddy was truly beyond his years. He wished Colin could've met him. Colin loved kids and had hoped to have some of his own someday.  
"You're right, Teddy," Dennis told him. "You're absolutely right."  
Teddy grinned, showing his dimples. "Colin was heroic too," he declared then his face brightened as an idea came to mind. "You should name your son after him."  
Dennis raised his eyebrows. "Who said I'm having a kid? I don't even have a girlfriend."  
"Get one," Teddy said simply. "Or adopt and rename him. You should carry on Colin's legacy."  
Holy Merlin this kid is wise.  
Dennis' chest felt light. The way Teddy talked, it was different. He didn't act like everyone else (save for Seamus and Neville) did towards him. It was nice. "Did Seamus put you up to this?" he narrowed his eyes playfully.  
The ten year old stammered, not realizing he was joking around. "N-no!"  
"I'm kidding," Dennis laughed softly. He sobered up and asked, "You really want me to have a kid, huh?"  
Teddy nodded vigorously. "You'd be a good dad," he said earnestly. "You're like Uncle Seamus, only you don't blow everything up," his serious tone and expression sent the young man in a fit of laughter.  
"That sounds like Shay," Dennis said, chuckling.  
Going back to the original conversation, Teddy said, "Don't you want kids? I thought people your age," here, Dennis raised an eyebrow, "start thinking about that stuff."  
"People my age?" Dennis said in a teasing tone. "Merlin, you make me sound old."  
"You are," Teddy said with a straight face.  
Ouch.  
Dennis smirked. "That just means I'm wise."  
Who are you trying to convince?  
Teddy snorted.  
"But yes," Dennis answered his question, "I do want kids." He didn't divulge into why he didn't have any currently or his lack of romance in his life.  
Because that would only lead to you talking about Colin.  
"How many?" Teddy continued to color.  
"Er, two I guess."  
"Girl or boy?"  
"Boy. I've always wanted twin boys or boys close in age," Dennis wondered what caused the sudden interrogation. "Why do you ask?"  
"Just curious," was his answer. After a moment's pause he asked, "What would you name them?"  
Dennis thought about it then answered truthfully. "I've never thought about that before. I guess one could be Colin and the other could be Peter or Linus."  
"I like those names," Teddy complimented.  
"Thanks," Dennis muttered.  
"I meant what I said earlier," Teddy finished his coloring with a prideful smile. "You should get a girlfriend and have kids or adopt and rename them."  
"You think so?" Dennis felt a bit silly talking about personal matters of his life with a ten year old.  
A ten year old who's more mature than you were at that age.  
"Definitely."  
The door to the classroom burst open. Dennis instinctively whipped out his wand, his heart pounding as worry seemed to take over. His panic, however, was in vain. Seamus came rushing in, painting and muttering apologizes about being late.  
"I'm sorry, really Den. I feel just awful about taking up your whole afternoon," Seamus was talking very fast and did not stop until the end when he needed to take a deep breath of air.  
He's gonna hyperventilate.  
"Don't worry about it, Shay," Dennis waved it off. "It's not like I had anything else to do. Besides, I liked hanging out with Teddy."  
"Really?" the child beamed.  
"Really," Dennis confirmed, giving him a genuine smile. "I'd be happy to babysit again sometime."  
Teddy opened his mouth to say that he was not a baby, but Seamus interjected first. "Thanks, Den. You're a lifesaver."  
"So, how was your errand running?" Denis made small talk.  
His friend looked blank for a moment before blinking with wide eyes. "Oh, that! Fantastic. Fantastic..."  
He's lying. You can tell.  
"You don't have anything with you," Dennis noted, checking out that Seamus' arms were free.  
"I, er, went home and put it all away," the other man said quickly. Dennis didn't look to be believing him. "That's why I was in a hurry."  
Liessss.  
"Uh huh," Dennis narrowed his eyes again, this time, not so playful.  
Seamus was visibly uncomfortable. He avoided his eyes while unconsciously tugging on the strings of his shorts. This led the younger man to believe he was lying. Seamus always tugged on his pants when he lied.  
"Are you going to tell me what you were really up?" he asked his Irish friend coolly. He hated being lied to, especially by his best friend.  
"Um, you see..." A voice from behind saved Seamus from emitting another lie. He inwardly sighed in relief and thanked Merlin that they arrived.  
"Hello Dennis," Harry greeted, coming in along with Luna and Neville. "How've you been?" Teddy jumped out of his seat and ran over to leap into Harry's arms.  
"I-I'm good," Dennis stuttered, looking over at Seamus as if to say, 'What in the blazes is he doing here?'  
"Fantastic," Harry grinned. Directing his statement over to Seamus, he addressed him, "Draco said he'll be over in a moment, had to do some last-minute things."  
"Draco?" Dennis said slowly. "As in Draco Malfoy?" He knew Draco had redeemed himself but why was he coming to see him? The two hadn't spoken in years, and that was when he was insulting him and Colin.  
This day is officially insane.  
"Yeah," Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Ron and Hermione are coming as well."  
Is it somebody's birthday? Anniversary? Holiday?  
"Good to see you mate," Neville hugged him, clipping him on the back. Dennis hugged back with equal force. "Been okay since, you know?" without having to elaborate, the younger of the two knew what he meant.  
"Yeah," he reassured. "I'm fine. And how are you Luna?" he asked, spotting the blonde standing to the side of Neville.  
Still wearing those radishes, I see.  
"I'm great," while smaller than Hermione and most of the boys, she was taller than Dennis by a few inches. He only came up to her chest as they hugged, which was a super awkward position to be in. "Rolf and I found a new species of nargles." Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Seamus was snorting in amusement before being hit by both Neville and Harry.  
"Did you? That's wonderful, Luna," he kissed her cheek. "I'm so happy for you. You'll have to give Rolf my congratulations as well." She beamed back at him.  
"Harry? Oh, you're here," Malfoy strode in, along with Hermione and Ron. The redhead was obviously not too thrilled to be tagging along with Malfoy of all people; not that Dennis could blame him. "Hello Dennis."  
"Malfoy," Dennis greeted back stiffly. "Any particular reason you're here?"  
Malfoy wasn't surprised by his not-so-warm welcome. "Yes actually. It's why we're all here."  
Dennis concealed his surprise. "Oh?"  
"Yes," Harry came forward, gesturing to the many available seats. "You should sit down."  
The professor felt a surge of fear. "Who died?" he asked fearfully. The adults shared glances of concern. Teddy was more confused than anything.  
"No one died," Hermione reassured right away. "We just have something to tell you."  
"Oh," Dennis relaxed, plopping down in his chair. "Well, what is it?" The adults shared a grin. It only served to confuse them. Why did Shay look like he was about to wet himself from excitement?  
Maybe he had too much to drink.  
"It's been six years since Colin's passed, hasn't it?" Harry began by asking.  
Dennis couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was Harry so absorbed in himself he couldn't even remember a simple date? Sure, Colin had been more of a nuisance than anything but still! Didn't he realize how disrespectful he sounded? His logical side told him to wait to hear what he had to say. So, he did.  
"Yes," he said with forced calmness.  
"I thought so," Harry nodded then motioned for Malfoy to come forward. Malfoy pulled out a book from his pocket and unshrunk it. The book was think and large and slightly dusty.  
"The Timeline of Every Spell Ever Made," Denis read, raising his eyebrows at the title. He looked back up at them. "I don't understand."  
"Read," Harry flipped to the middle, "this."  
Dennis did as he was told. The page had been previously wet, for the pages stuck together and were discolored. For the life of him, he couldn't figure out why Harry came with everyone to watch him read. He searched for any significance when two words stood out to him.  
Resurrection Spell.  
With trembling lips, he gazed at Harry once more. The raven haired man was smiling softly as were the other adults in the room. Teddy didn't know what was going on but wisely kept his mouth shut.  
"H-H-Harry?" Dennis choked out.  
"We think we can bring him back," Malfoy said. "It's a long shot and it's illegal but we're doing it."  
Dennis fought to keep his composure. "W-who's idea was it?" he asked in a whisper.  
Seamus, Harry and Malfoy grinned. "Well," Seamus began.  
"It was kinda all three of us," Harry said.  
"I wanted to do something for you so that's why I made up the errand thing," Seamus gave a small fist bump to Teddy.  
"I kept it a secret for the whole day," Teddy beamed.  
"And I had the idea of using the book to find the spell," Malfoy added. "And Potter was the one who convinced everyone to do it."  
Huh, maybe I was wrong about him.  
Dennis threw his arms around Harry's waist, embracing the man. "Thank you," he whispered with tears shining in his eyes. "Thank you." He proceeded to do the same to Malfoy and Seamus. Seamus' lasted a little longer only because the Irishman jokingly insisted he get a better than Malfoy.  
After that, Dennis returned to his chair with tears streaming down his cheeks. "I can't thank you all enough for this."  
"It's the least we can do," Neville smiled warmly. "Colin was a fantastic person, Dennis. It'll be wonderful to have him around again."  
"Yeah," Ron agreed, speaking for the first time. "Just think, he'll be sneaking up on people taking their picture again." Harry, Hermione, Seamus and Neville glared in his direction for his tactless response. "What?" he exclaimed.  
Dennis chuckled, despite still feeling like he was going to cry. "You really don't have to do this for me," he wiped his eyes. "I don't want you lot to get in trouble."  
Harry held up a hand. "It's already been decided, Dennis. We're doing it." Dennis regretted ever thinking a single bad thought about him. Colin was right; Harry was the most selfless person he'd ever met. Harry certainly didn't have to do this yet convinced everyone anyway.  
"Can I come too?" Teddy bounced on his heels. His excitement unconsciously changed his hair color, which rapidly went to every color of everyone in the room. "I wanna come!"  
"You are going to Andy's," Harry said automatically to which Seamus nodded in agreement. "It's too dangerous for you to come."  
The ten year old groaned. "But Harry! I could help you guys if you let me. Please?" he gave his godfather his best puppy dog eyes, ones that reminded the young auror of Remus.  
"No," he denied. "I won't have you getting hurt. Maybe some other time." His godson sighed exasperatedly. "Hey now, I'm sure Andy will let you have some of the ice cream you like."  
Teddy grumbled but didn't put up a fight, after all, he quite liked having chocolate ice cream. "I never get to get in on the fun," he scowled.  
Harry patted his hair, which had since calmed down and returned to sandy colored. "It won't be as fun as you think, don't worry." Teddy rolled his eyes and returned to his coloring books.  
Dennis watched the exchange with a slight smile. Harry and Teddy interacted like father and son. He had no doubt that if Andy hadn't been available to take care of him, Harry would've done so without a thought in advance.  
I'm going to puke from all these sappy thoughts. Man up!  
"So, what's the plan?" Dennis' cheeks tinged with red when everyone looked at him after he spoke a little louder than necessary. "Is there a plan?" he reworded, ignoring the embarrassment he felt.  
Smooth, real smooth.  
"Of course," Harry said with confidence. "But are you sure you want to hear it now? Don't you need time to process everything?" he asked carefully.  
"I want to hear it now," Dennis refused to wait any longer. It had been six years, six long, agonizing years. There was no more time to waste. "Tell me now, I can handle it."  
Seamus obviously disagree but he said, "No, Shay. I'm fine." he looked at everyone, "I'm fine."  
Harry, as he'd done with Ron, reiterated the plan. Dennis listened to every word without interruption, his heart was skipping a beat with radiating happiness.  
"So," he said at the end, "when do we start?"  
"At dawn," Harry said, ignoring Seamus and Ron's loud groans.  
Dennis grinned wider than he had in years.  
He was getting his brother back!  
He was getting his brother back and that's all what mattered.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning, Dennis sought out Harry's home in Godric's Hollow by apparition. It hadn't reached five am yet, so the sky was still pitch black and everything around it looked the same, quiet and dead with sleep.  
He knocked on the door politely; usually, had it been someone else's flat like Seamus' he would've apparated inside, but he'd never been to Harry's home before, not to mention they'd never really had a real conversation before yesterday. It was best just to use the muggle approach.  
"Good morning, Dennis," Harry greeted sleepily, hair disheveled, and clothing rumpled. "Everyone's already here, living room's this way." He slid to the side as to let Dennis in. He turned back around, leading him to said room.  
"Dennis is here," Harry said to the group.  
They exchanged hellos and a few pleasantries. Dennis, save for Hermione, was the only other one wide awake. He'd barely slept; unable to control his excitement. After lying in bed for hours, he spent the rest of the time eating ice cream and watching silly muggle TV shows on the telly. He glanced at Seamus, who was slouched in an armchair, blinking every so often to keep himself awake.  
"Hey," Dennis kicked his friend's shoe lightly. "Did you sleep at all?" he asked in a teasing tone.  
Seamus halfheartedly waved his hand. "Somewhat," he grumbled. "Patrick wouldn't shut up." Dennis snickered at his misfortune.  
Harry cleared his throat. "So, are we all aware of the plan?" After they nodded, he continued. "We'll start here and apparate to the Forbidden Forest then borrow," Hermione rolled her eyes at this, "some brooms from the Quidditch shed."  
"How long's it gonna take for us to fly to this angel thingy?" Seamus yawned. "My bum'll get numb after a while." Ron laughed loudly at his statement. Dennis would've laughed too, had the glares from Harry, Hermione and Neville sent to Seamus had not intimidated him.  
"Moving on," Harry said, pointedly refusing to acknowledge the second part, "it should take most of the day; really depends on how long it takes us to get through the forest. Should take at least ten hours, like we told you the last time." Seamus shrugged uncaringly.  
Ron spoke up next. "Do we have to go through the forest? There's spiders in there," he shuddered.  
"Yes, Ronald," Hermione sighed.  
"B-B-But-"  
"Moving on," Harry stressed. "First and foremost, we need the Elder Wand before we leave Hogwarts."  
"The one in Dumbledore's tomb?" Dennis asked. "How are we gonna get that? Minerva won't let anyone get close to it," he recalled the numerous times he and other professors had to give detentions and a stern talking to overly curious first years. "I think she charmed it so only certain people can go near it."  
"You're one of them, aren't you?" Malfoy said to him.  
"We all are," Neville said, gesturing to himself, Seamus and Dennis. "Minerva was very specific that only her, we, Fillies, Horace and Poppy have access."  
"Great!" Harry exclaimed. "You can use Finite to undo it."  
"Actually," Seamus sounded much more awake now. "Minerva made it more complicated, so no student could get in that easy."  
"You know what it is, don't you?" Harry's enthusiasm dropped at the revolation. "Surely she told you?" he looked at the three men.  
"I don't know it," Dennis glanced at his friends. "Do you guys?"  
"Not me," Neville shook his head.  
"Er," Seamus scratched his head sheepishly. 'Would you believe that she told me to tell you guys and I've forgotten it?" There was a chorus of "Seamus!" from everyone but Luna. She was sitting serenely on the couch, holding an issue of the Quibbler upside down.  
"What are we gonna do now?" Harry was looking desperately at Hermione. "You know what to do right? Tell me you have a plan?"  
"I'm sorry," she pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "But without the counter spell we can't do anything."  
Dennis' stomach dropped. This was it. He got himself so excited, so hopeful, for what? To lose a night's worth of sleep and spend less than an hour at Harry's flat only to find out it was all a bust?  
You really are dramatic.   
I liked it better when you were quiet.  
Hey, I was asleep, sue me.   
Seamus hummed quietly before bursting out. "Why don't we just break the lid or something? Surely it won't take much to crack it. Besides, if it's broken what's the use for the charm?" Beside him, Neville gaped.  
"That's Hogwarts property! And Dumbledore's body is in there!"  
"So?" Seamus said cluelessly. "What's the big deal?"  
"So," Neville stressed, "that's his resting place. Isn't that a bit disrespectful to break it? Minerva would murder us."  
"We haven't got a choice," Harry said firmly. "I don't want to bother it either but it's the only way." He looked at the group. "If you don't want to be involved leave now." No one moved or objected. It warmed Dennos' heart.  
Sap. What. A. Sap.  
"Good," Harry said, pleased. "If your all ready, let's leave. It's getting a bit light out." They walked out to the front yard where he instructed than further. "We'll be faster if we travel by pairs. I'll go with Ron. Neville, you go with Luna. Hermione, you go with Malfoy and Seamus can go with Dennis." Once all set, one by one the pairs disappeared. Seamus waited with Dennis to go last.  
"Ready?" Seamus asked cheerfully.  
"Ready," Dennis confirmed. Then suddenly, he felt like he was being squeezed. The feeling did not last long, as soon he was standing just outside the forest.  
"Do we really have to go in?" Ron asked fearfully, cringing when a bird flew over his head, chirping.  
"Yes," Harry said with little patience. "We've been over this, Ron."  
"But...what about the spiders!?"  
"We'll be fine" Harry said dismissively. "Nothing's going to get us." He tried to sound reassuring but the redhead wasn't listening anymore.  
The group marched through the morning dew. Dennis had a bounce in his step that would not go away. He chatted with Seamus and Neville excitedly at the front of the group, barely able to contain himself.  
"How long until we get there?" he asked Neville after about fifteen minutes of walking.  
"I'm not sure," Neville replied patiently. "Might be a little while."  
'Just like when you asked two minutes ago," Seamus muttered, snorting. Neville elbowed him.  
"Sorry," Dennis had a trace of a smile. "I'm a bit excited."  
Yeah because we couldn't tell."  
"Seamus!" Neville couldn't believe him. "Be nice! He's allowed to be excited."  
Dennis ignored their bantering. The familiar happy feeling was coming back and he liked it. He'd forgotten how lovely it was to be happy again. After Colin had died, all his happiness was gone. Now, now he might have another chance. It was wonderful.  
"What's he so jumpy for?" Seamus snickered, pointing to Ron who was jumping at every noise, every once and while emitting a girl-like squeal.  
"Just something from second year," Harry said. Dennis raised his eyebrows.  
"What sort of something?" Malfoy demanded to know.  
Ron opened his mouth to make up an excuse, but Harry held his hand up to silence him.  
"You guys remember second year, when everyone was being petrified?"  
Everyone but Dennis nodded. The younger man felt a bit tense at hearing the word.  
"Well, Ron and I tried to find out who did it-"  
"Of course," Seamus snorted.  
"And in a memory from a diary, it showed Tom Riddle telling former Headmaster Dippet that Hagrid let the monster in and opened the Chamber of Secrets."  
Neville, Seamus, and Dennis' jaws dropped in astoundment. Dennis was shocked anyone could accuse Hagrid of doing anything. He was the nicest person that he ever had the pleasure of knowing.  
"You didn't believe that, did you?" Neville asked in disbelief. "Hagrid wouldn't do that!"  
"Of course not," Harry assured him. "Ron and I wanted to prove that he didn't so came into the forest and found Aragog."  
"Hagrid's giant pet spider?" Seamus exclaimed. He shuddered. "I don't know how or why Hagrid insists on keeping life threatening creatures as pets!"  
If Dennis was honest, he didn't know either.  
"Unfortunately Aragog wasn't as friendly as Hagrid had said."  
Several of them snorted.  
"He tried to kill us!" Ron exclaimed shrilly. "He and his children wanted to eat us!"  
"But he didn't," Harry reminded him quickly. "And Aragog told us that he wasn't the monster. It was in the castle."  
"So you believe a giant killer spider," Seamus said, looking as though he wanted to admit Harry to St. Mungo's.  
"That was nice of you, Harry," Luna complimented. "Spiders are very complicated creature. They're often misunderstood." Harry gave her a smile.  
"It all worked out," he shrugged, starting to walk again. "I killed the basilisk and everyone was okay." He sent a smile to Hermione who returned the smile.  
"Wow!" Dennis was looking at Harry with slight hero worship. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time. "And you were only twelve? That's incredible, Harry!"  
"Thanks," the raven haired man said modestly. "It wasn't that great, though. I'd of died, had it not been for Fawkes."  
"And there you have it folks," Seamus said in an announcer-type voice, "Harry Potter beats death for the third time out of many."  
"Shut up Seamus!" Hermione hissed at the same time Dennis asked, "How was it his third? I know Colin read some book that said you beat it when you were one but when was the second time?"  
"My first year," Harry clairfied. "When me, Hermione and Ron tried to save the philosopher's stone. Quirrell our DADA teacher, was possessed by Voldemort and tried to kill me. If it weren't for my mother's love protection I would've died then too."  
"That's amazing, Harry," Dennis smiled softly.  
"He's lucky to have had a great mother," Neville added.  
"Lucky indeed," Luna said in her dreamy way.  
The others chimed in their thoughts. Seamus, however, was rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "You know," he said, "I don't know why they call you the Boy-Who-Lived. How about the Boy-Who-Just-Won't-Die?"  
"Seamus," everyone groaned.  
They went on. The further they went, the darke it became. It seemed as though the sun had vanished.  
"Oh, dear," Luna murmured.  
'We should go back!" Ron insisted.  
"No," Harry said. "We came this far, we'll keep going."  
Ron gulped.  
So they kept walking; deeper and deeper. The air began taking a cold chill to it. Nobody bothered to bring a jacket for it was May; they shivered. The farther they went, the more suspicious everything appeared. The bushes and grass looked decayed. Everything looked dead. Not a sound was heard; no wild animals nor magical creatures. It was a still, cold silence.  
"I think I see a light," Neville said, confidently leading them. But there was no light. The 'light' lead them to a wide circle with trees at every end.  
"H-H-Harry," Ron gulped again. "Why does this look familiar?"  
Dennis didn't get scared by a lot of things but he gripped Seamus' arm tightly. His Irish friend didn't complain or even comment on it. He must've been scared too.  
It's like the muggles say, you all are a bunch of scaredy cats, or, in your case, wizards.   
Crack.  
The group jumped. Something, er, someone was watching them. Stalking them.  
Crack crack.  
"What is that?" Malfoy paled, if that was even possible. "Potter what was it?"  
He's definitely scared if he's not calling him Harry anyone. Hehe.   
"I don't know," Harry was helpless, Dennis noticed. "Maybe an animal."  
"That didn't sound like an animal, Harry," Hermione said worryingly. "It sounded like a person."  
"That's where you're wrong, miss."  
"The group whirled around wildly.  
"Ah," the voice spoke. "Harry Potter has returned.


	8. Chapter 8

Dennis's heart rate quickened. A lump formed in his throat that made it difficult to breathe properly. The owner of the voice- a gigantic spider- slowly crawled out from the depths of the shadows. It hissed at them, showing its fangs that could dig deep in their skin. Dennis got goosebumps just thinking about it.  
The others were equally as scared. Ron looked ready to wet himself. Everyone else tried their best to be brave despite the circumstances. Luna seemed to be the only one completely calm. The spider watched the group with its many eyes in fascination.  
"You are Harry Potter's friends," it said matter-of-factly. It came a bit closer, causing everyone to take a step back. Seamus had to grab Luna by the waist because she just stood there, smiling at the spider.  
"Yes, sir," she said cheerfully. "What's your name?" Seamus and Ron shared a gobsmacked look. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Dennis would've laughed. Trust Luna to try and make friends with a deadly creature.  
"I am Fengog," the spider announced. "Leader of the pack."  
"Fengog," Harry murmured. "You're Aragog's son, aren't you?" he asked in realization.  
Who in bloody Marlins name is Aragog?  
Feng started scrutinizingly at Harry. "My father talked a great deal about you and your friend."  
"Good things, I hope," Ron said lightly, his voice cracking from his fear.  
Feng let out a growl. "You tried to kill us," he accused. "You wanted us extinct!"  
Seamus muttered, "They did it now. We're gonna die because of them."  
"Seamus!" Neville elbowed him roughly.  
"Oh, you know I'm right."  
"What are you talking about?" Harry demanded. "We've done nothing to you."  
"Our kind was found by your kind," Fengog hissed. "After the dark one fell."  
Dennis gripped his wand that was secretly in his pocket. His mind wandered back to his school days when he was learning spells. There had to be something that could help them against a giant spider. There had to be. Slowly, he crept back to where Hermione was standing with Ron.  
"Can't we just blast them or something?" he whispered subtly. "Use the reducto spell?"  
Ron shakily nodded his head. "Yeah, can't we do that?" he pleaded with the bushy haired witch.  
"No," she whispered. "If you kill the leader, the others will attack. We'd be much safer trying to reason with him."  
"Reason with a spider?" Dennis was doubtful it would work but than again, Hermione was smart; she knew best out of all of them.  
Obviously not if she wants to reason with a blood thirsty spider.  
"Oh," Harry breathed when a realization came over him. "That's right. The aurors found a bunch of you when they cleared the forest."  
"Twenty of us perished," Fengog was becoming increasingly restless. "But did you care? No. My father was right. You deserved to die." The spider crawled forward. Ron let out a scream when its long legs stretched out, making it even more intimidating. Dennis saw Harry try one more attempt at peace.  
"Wiat," he said desperately. "We know Hagrid. We're his friends. You like Hagrid, don't you?"  
Fengog sounded something resembling a snort. "My father knew him. He was the only one who stopped us from devouring him. But there's no one to protect you, is there?" If the creature could smile, Dennis had no doubt it would be smiling evily right now. Its breathing was heavy and he had a strong feeling it was hungry.  
"Brothers and sisters," Fengog said to no one in particular. "Our meal has come."  
"What?" Ron squeaked. He gripped Harry's sleeve. "What do we do?" he whispered frantically. The spiders came crawling out of nowhere, surrounding them in a circle. Dennis wasn't afraid of spiders like Ron was, but he was content with the thought of getting of the forest and never returning.  
Glancing around, he noticed to the right of them far away, it seemed, was a dim light shining. That must be a way out! Dennis nudged Harry, subtly showing him what he'd seen.  
Harry pivoted slightly in that direction, raising his wand to the spiders he shouted, "Stupify" The spiders were flown into the air. They screamed for Fengog and cursed the humans, raging. "Follow me," Harry yelled. He took off in the direction of the light.  
Dennis skillfully dodged the spiders as they fell. They were so huge they could've flatten a person if they fell on someone. Inwardly, he thought with amusement, and slight sadness, how Colin would've stopped to take a picture of the creature. He remembered when Colin came home after his first year and showed him all the pictures he'd taken. A few of them were of Ron puking slugs. Why his brother had pictures of that was a mystery to Dennis.  
"Oi, Ron!" Seamus called out teasingly. "Watch your step!" To no one's surprise, he was acting like the whole thing was a game. He laughed when Ron screamed. Neville rolled his eyes, pushing the Irishman along.  
Dennis yelped when something caught his ankle just as he was starting to get away. Looking down, he saw something black curled around his leg. The spider hissed at him and he could feel the hold on him tighten.  
You're done for it, now.  
"Dennis!" several of his friends cried. Ron had managed to get across to the other side and was looking at him with pity. The younger man took a deep breath and pointed his wand at the spider. "Relashio!" he yelled and the spider released its grip. He leaped up to run. At once, they began congratulating him.  
"That was fantastic, Dennis!"  
"How did you know to do that?"  
"That was bloody brilliant!"  
"Is it dead?"  
Harry and Seamus laughed at Ron's question. Dennis smiled shyly at the attention and thanked them. It was nice to hear, really. He wasn't used to being on the receiving end of praise, at least, from other people. Dennis' breath hitched when a soft, little voice, strongly reminiscent of a certain someone, whispered to his heart in such a way that he hadn't heard for years.  
I'm proud of you, little brother.  
He looked around wildly, a shimmer of hope building in his chest that maybe, just maybe, this nightmare would end and he would turn around to find Colin standing there with open arms. He would tell him that he had to fake his death for some heroic reason and everything would be alright.  
"Dennis? You okay?" Harry snapped his fingers in front of his face.  
"Hugh?" Dennis' hope plummeted and with that, he was left looking as a fool who had everyone's eyes on him. "Oh, sorry."  
Let's see how you get yourself out of this one.  
"Zoning out there, aye?" Seamus joked, trying to lighten the mood.  
Something like that.  
Dennis could only smile weakly. The embarrassment he felt made him want to crawl in a hole and die. He could feel angry tears leaking out of his eyes which only worsened his mood. He already made himself look like a fool, there was no way he would let anyone-besides Seamus-see his true self-a crybaby.  
"Yeah," Dennis pushed past everyone to get to the front. "Shouldn't we be going?" his voice was a tad snippish. He normally didn't take that tone with anybody. Even if he wasn't feeling particularly happy, he always made it a point to be polite.  
"We should," Harry nodded carefully. WIth one last glance back behind him, he must've deduced the spiders had retreated back into their hiding place.  
"Let's go before they come after us!" Ron whispered frantically.  
"Or before you wet your pants," Seamus wisecracked, cackling at the indigent look on the redhead's face.  
"Why's everyone making fun of me?" he whined.  
"Because it's fun," Seamus patted his friend's shoulder, beaming. Ron scowled. Dennis was beginning to grow agitated that they didn't seem to be taking this seriously. Granted, he knew Seamus was just trying to lighten the mood, but this was not the time.  
"Can we go?" he fought to keep a hold of his temper. "Please?" he added.  
Malfoy and Harry shared a look, a pitying look, which only infuriated the bloody heck out of Dennis. Why was everyone looking at him like that lately!? He didn't need anyone's pity.  
Harry's eyes were to the ground. "I don't pity you," he said quietly, making Dennis froze. Had he said it out loud? "I feel responsible for doing this to you." At this, the twenty year old had nothing to say. He supposed it was partially Harry's fault. Perhaps if it hadn't been for him starting Dumbledore's Army, Colin wouldn't have joined nor would he have gotten the signal to fight that day. He would've been perfectly safe-well, as safe as he could be for an outlaw- and maybe, just maybe, he would've lived.  
But he had to push those thoughts away. Harry was doing him an incredibly phenomenal favor-that he certainly didn't have to do. He shouldn't ruin it by thinking about the 'what ifs' or 'could've beens'.  
"It's okay," Dennis reassured him. "I don't blame you."  
Or do you?  
"Okay," Harry looked like he didn't totally believe him but also didn't want to argue. "Let's keep going."  
They trekked for more than an hour. The 'light' he'd seen was nothing more than a mirage; an alluring fantasy that unwittingly saved them. Dennis wasn't sure how much longer they would be walking, but one thing he did know was that he was thirsty. Harry told them to pack light, as they would be carrying their stuff themselves. The trace wasn't utilized on them anymore now that they were fully aged wizards and witches, which came in handy when using an outlawed spell. But they weren't taking any chances; Harry devised that they do certain things the muggle way, like carrying their own food.  
"I'm hungry," Seamus complained, breaking the barrier of silence. "When's lunch?"  
"It's not even seven yet, Shay," Neville told him after checking his watch. "It hasn't been that long since breakfast."  
"It's been ages," Seamus moaned, clenching his stomach to emphasize his point. "I'm wasting away."  
"No you're not," Dennis said, grinning in amusement. Harry rolled his eyes and shared a glance with Neville.  
"I take it you had to deal with this seventh year?"  
"Of course," Neville sighed in a way a parent did in regards to a child.  
"I am," Seamus insisted to Dennis with a whine. If he heard Neville and Harry talking about him he didn't indicate it. "I'm going to become skin and bones and die! Then you'll all get arrested and tried for murder and-" Hermione must've gotten tired of his whining. She reached into her backpack, swiftly taking out an apple and handing it to him forcefully.  
"Here, now be quiet!"  
Seamus' face pinched at the sight of the fruit. It was obviously not what he wanted. "I need real food," he said, flexing his non existent biceps.  
"What you need is to shut up," Harry muttered under his breath to which only Dennis and Malfoy heard.  
Here, here!  
"Just eat it!" Hermione hissed, looking every bit as stern as Minerva was.  
Seamus must have thought the same thing. "Yes ma'am," he mumbled, biting into the Apple with a loud crunch. Dennis winched at the annoying noise that went right through him. Thankfully, Seamus was a quiet chewer.  
Crunch.  
He wasn't the only one affected. Harry, Neville and Hermione reacted similarly. Malfoy, Ron and Luna were indifferent to the noise.  
Crunch.  
Harry's eye twitched.  
Crunch.  
Dennis wondered what the punishment was for strangling somebody.  
Crunch.  
The sound had even snapped Luna out of her dreamy stupor. She blinked, looking around to find the culprit of the noise. Ron became annoyed while Malfoy just rolled his eyes.  
Crunch  
Crunch  
Crunch  
Crunch  
"That's it!" Harry snapped, snatching the offending fruit out of the Irishman's hands.  
"Hey!" Seamus cried. "What was that for?!"  
"I've had enough of hearing you crunch," Harry glared. "Can't you eat quietly?"  
"No. Mum always said I was a loud eater," Seamus grinned, amused with the situation. Dennis rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Loud was an understatement. "Can I have my apple back?"  
"NO!" Harry, Hermione, and Neville all said at once. Seamus pouted.  
"Well you don't have to be so mean," he said, huffing like a child would when they got told they couldn't have a sweet treat.  
The walk felt like a hike, a long, treacherous, tedious hike. Dennis considered at one point asking that they stop for a break; his muscles ached, his stomach rumbled from having a too-early breakfast and, on top of that, he was still a little bit jumpy from the encounter with the giant, deadly spider. Even so, he was anxious to get to this Sanctuary of Angels in a decent timing, so he was willing to forgo any extra breaks.  
Everyone else seemed to have the same idea, everyone but Seamus and Ron, that is. Seamus was a jokester, most knew that, most tolerated it. Dennis tolerated it during the school year when he had to live in the same castle as him. But now was not the time for the Irishman to be making puns or any jokes at all.  
As for Ron, Dennis didn't know anything about the redhead except that he had a big family and that one of them had died in the battle, just like Colin. They'd never been in a conversation with each other-the only reason Dennis knew his name was because a, he was a part of the Golden Trio and b, most people knew of the Weasleys.  
Currently, Seamus was trying to persuade Hermione into letting them take a break so he could take a potty break (which was more information than anyone needed to know). Not wanting to stop completely, Hermione told him to go quickly and catch up with them afterwards.  
"I sometimes wonder why Minerva hired him," Neville mused from beside Dennis, watching Seamus try to find a tree to use. "For laughs, maybe."  
"Yeah," Dennis agreed. "He acts like the students most of the time."  
"Guess he's not done growing up yet."  
The two men shared a laugh at the expense of their friend. By that time, their Irish friend had finished his business and was trying to catch up to them again. He slipped into the middle, his hands were on the straps of his backpack, smiling gaily without uttering a word.  
"I take it you're better now?" Neville said dryly.  
"For now!" Seamus beamed a little too enthusiastically, Dennis thought, but that was Seamus for you. When he wasn't level-headed and serious, he was zainy and uncontrollably wild.  
"Are we almost there?" Harry took his glasses off to rub away the eye-floaters. He looked wearily at Hermione. "Please tell me we're almost there."  
"We should be," she replied patiently, pushing her bushy hair to one side. It was reminiscent to Dennis, who once again, saw the fourteen year old he'd seen at the welcoming feast his first year. Well, it wasn't exactly like it had been, but close enough. "Just a bit further and we should be out of here."  
"Finally," Ron was still wary from the encounter and thus, he squeamishly looked all over, forwards, backwards, left and right, making sure no spider was following them. "I'm never coming back in here again!"  
"Didn't you say that before?" Harry snickered. Malfoy cracked a grin at his words.  
"Might want to be a little more specific, Weasley," he said in a teasing tone. To the blonde's dismay, the redhead didn't take his teasing lightly.  
"Oh shut up, Malfoy!" Ron snapped. "No one cares what you think!"  
"Enough," Harry intervened before it could get out of hand, and, knowing Ron, it would. "Ron, Draco's just teasing, and Draco, just leave him be for now." Ron opened his mouth but Harry gave him a glare that Seamus would later tell Dennis was what he used when dealing with criminals. The redhead reluctantly complied but not before he spoke his last words.  
"I dunno why you're so chummy with Malfoy now. He's a snake and a Death Eater."  
"Former Death Eater," Harry reminded him hotly.  
Malfoy was clearly embarrassed. His porcelain cheeks tinged red, something that Dennis has never seen in all his years of school with him. Mumbling incoherently, the blonde hastily walked to the front of the group, where Neville, Seamus and Dennis were.  
Dennis didn't know what to say, or if he should even speak at all. It wasn't like he felt a sudden, forced desire to be friends just because he'd been one of the main supporters, and founders, of this whole adventure. He still hadn't forgotten the insults or the mocking laughter at his-or Colin's-expense. Although he certainly didn't hold a childish grudge, Malfoy wasn't worth feeling grief over, it didn't mean he warranted Dennis' friendship.  
Seamus was the opposite. Just as everyone else in Gryffindor, he was a target of Malfoy and his gang. If anything, due to the fact he was there and head to deal with Malfoy three years more than Dennis and had dealt with him during the Carrows reign in what would've been their seventh year. But he didn't. He became best friends, or so it seemed, with Malfoy.  
Dennis wasn't quite sure what Neville's stance on Malfoy was, but, as if on cue, Neville spoke up, cheerfully, "Don't mind him, Draco. He's still frightened from Fengog. Wouldn't take him personally right now."  
"Nev's right," Seamus chimed in. "I'm sure he'll be better in a little while."  
Malfoy smiled a tiny smile. "Thanks Neville, Seamus." He and Dennis made eye contact, alibet awkwardly. "Creevey-Dennis," he corrected himself quickly, blushing yet again. Dennis quirked an eyebrow, wondering what he could possibly have to say. "I know we haven't spoken much-"  
"We've never spoken," Dennis said flatly. "Not unless it was you insulting me or Colin." Malfoy flinched.  
"Right," he muttered, kicking at the dried up dirt.  
Seamus nudged Dennis, giving him a look as if to say, 'Give him a chance' Neville was giving him that same look. Seeing no other choice, Dennis was resigned to his fate.  
"Sorry," he apologized sincerely. "Hard to forget the past, you know?" Malfoy was surprised at the apologized but composed himself.  
"Oh. Yeah, I get it."  
"What I mean is," Dennis rephrased, "I don't think we've ever had a real conversation."  
Malfoy relaxed now that he knew he wasn't being attacked. "No," he allowed himself to smile, "I don't think we have."  
Dennis and Malfoy chatted for over an hour, not noticing the grinning faces of his friends or Harry and Hermione nor Ron's scowling. He learned a lot about the blonde, including his secret admiration of Colin's picture-taking skills. Apparently, Malfoy had stumbled across Colin's collection once and instead of destroying them like he normally would, he stood and admired them. Colin had caught him looking and Malfoy had made Colin promise not to tell anyone or he would destroy them. And true to his word, no one knew, not even Dennis.  
"You seem happier," Luna's voice reached his ears, startling him out of his wits. He'd forgotten she was there. "The nargles must be gone from your head."  
"Luna you startled me," he clenched his chest, his heart was pounding erratically.  
"Yes I know," she said, not bothered nor ashamed of her actions.  
Dennis shook his head fondly. "Did you need something?"  
"No," she reached down to pick a wildflower. She handed it to Dennis, who raised his eyebrows but took it nonetheless. "Pretty, isn't it?"  
"Yes, it is," he noted slowly.  
"It's so simple. Just a flower, it is. All they do is grow and blossom into something beautiful. It's just like you and Colin," Luna mused.  
Dennis was taken aback. "Like me and Colin?" he repeated.  
"Yes," she smiled serenely.  
"How?"  
"You and Colin once were seeds. You were tiny, inexperienced, naive. But you grew up to become something beautiful, Dennis. You became a professor and once Colin returns, he will blossom into something magnificent as well. We're all like flowers. It's up to us to decide how we blossom."  
Dennis pondered her words carefully.  
"Do you understand?"  
"I think so," he said but not with certainty.  
Luna patted him on the arm and said no more. Dennis clasped her hand into his, his thumb caressing her hand. "Thanks Luna," he said sincerely. "I don't know what I'd do without you."  
"You wouldn't know a thing about flowers," she giggled. Dennis joined in on her laughter. Luna really would be the perfect wife for Colin. Too bad she was dating someone else. Luna was exactly what Colin needed. She was imaginative, happy and hadn't reminded his photography hobby at all. In fact, she had been intrigued by it.  
Dennis had spent many nights, rather obsessively, thinking about the type of wedding Colin and Luna would have and the kids they would surely have. He would've loved to babysit his niece or nephew.  
But you don't have one, do ou? He he he!   
Dennis snapped himself out of his daydream and back to reality. Ahead of them was more trees, more of the forest that was growing more creepier. Owls could be heard hooting but not in the way he'd heard as a child. No. This was more evil sounding. It made him shiver in fear.  
"Why are they all looking at us?" Ron asked fretfully. And indeed they were. Many owls, hundreds, thousands, even, came out from the trees and glared as they walked passed. Dennis could've sworn their eyes changed color and glowed.  
"I'm sure they're not," Neville tried to say but was interrupted by Hermione's gasp.  
"Oh no!"  
"What?" they asked in unison. Ron's voice cracked again from fear.  
"These aren't ordinary owls," Hermione sucked in a breath when one swooped down, screeching to show them it's fangs of all things.  
"You think?" Seamus said sarcastically. He ducked, yelping, when another one came flying at him. "What are these bloody things?"  
"They're Vowls," Hermione stood stiff as a board with only her eyes moving. "Vampire owls," she added to their bewildered looks. "I've read about these."  
"Of course," Seamus, Malfoy and Ron snorted together. Ron glared daggers; angry that he was caught doing the same thing as a Malfoy.  
"They're extremely dangerous," Hermione continued. "If the bite you you'll-"  
"Turn into a vampire," Harry, Seamus, and Dennis finished for her.  
"Not just that," she was impatient and a little annoyed that they interrupted her. "Your body will disintegrate from the poison. Vowls are deadly to anything it bites."  
"Anything?' Seamus echoed.  
"Anything," Hermione confirmed.  
'Anything..?"  
"Shut up Seamus," Neville and Harry hissed.  
"We've got to be really still," Hermione looked like she was resisting the urge to flinch when another owl was dangerously close to her face. Dennis wanted to shoo it away but Seamus had subtly grabbed his arm.  
"Don't," he said ever so softly. "She'll be okay."  
"How do we get past them?" Harry cringed when one flew a little too close to his face. "And why are they sworming us?"  
"They smell our blood," Hermione murmured. "They can smell fear, too. They sworn to show dominance. They're very arrogant creatures."  
"Didn't you read something on how to escape without getting bitten?" Ron asked. "No doubt you read the whole book," he said more to himself.  
Hermione glared, well, as best as she could do without completely turning her head. "Yes, Ronald. I read the whole book," her face crumpled. "But I don't recall reading on how to escape them."  
"What?" Seamus and Ron said breathily. Seamus was beside himself. "What do you mean you don't recall? You know everything!"  
Dennis' hope, just as it did earlier, fell. If Hermione didn't know something, they were all in trouble. Suddenly, he remembered what Nick said whenever he was in panic mode.  
"Hermione." Her head snapped up. He hadn't really spoken to her much since this whole thing started so he couldn't blame her as to why she seemed to astounded that he addressed her in such a firm way. "Think. Think back to what you;ve read. Just calm down and think."  
The brilliant witch did as he suggested. Closing her eyes, her lips moved but he couldn't decipher what she was saying, neither could anyone else. After a few moments, which seemed more like an turnity with those crazed, blood hungry owls watching them, she said, "I remember!"  
They sighed in relief. "Well, what is it?" Ron asked hurriedly.  
"We have to..." she trailed off, looking a bit embarrassed.  
"What? What do we have to do?" Harry, always the one to take charge, asked her, frowning. "Hermione, are you alright?"  
"We have to do the Vowl dance," she blurted out.  
"...The what?" Seamus raised his eyebrows.  
"The Vowl dance. It's an ancient dance that early wizards used when they worshiped owls. Owls were like Egyptian cats. They were put on a high pedestal like they were a god."  
"And that's why St. Mungo's was invented," Seamus wisecracker. Nobody laughed, much to his dismay.  
"Vowls see the dance as a sign of respect. They won't attack if you do it, properly, that is."  
"So how do you do it?" Neville asked.  
Hermione looked between the killer birds and back to her friends. Her cheeks went bright red, which only confused them.  
"What's her problem?" Ron asked in his usual tackless way.  
"Maybe she's getting naked," Seamus suggested with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. His words only prompted a quiet cry of "Seamus" from Harry and Neville, and a death glare from Hermione.  
"I'm not getting naked," she said furiously. "It's just embarrassing to do." With a heavy sigh, she began by raising her arms, accompanied by that she wiggled her body, starting from her bum all the way up to her arms which were high in the sky. The owls, who had started hissing when she first moved, now watched her and calmed down.  
"Whoa, it's working," Ron stated.  
Hermione put one foot forward, shaking even more. Dennis could she why she was embarrassed. It did look a bit suggestive.  
"Come on," she told them in between her dancing. "You've got to do it too."  
Some of the owls had tore their eyes away from Hermione to keep guard on the others. Dennis inwardly cringed. He didn't really want to do it but he did want to get out of there alive. He stepped out and followed her lead. Luna was right behind him.  
"Isn't this fun?" she smiled.  
Feeling a bit flustered, he said, "Sure. Fun."  
Soon, all of them branched out and copied Hermione's dancing and all of the killer vowls hooted before flying away, leaving them looking like idiots.  
You were already one before so nothing's new.   
Hermione made them all dance like that until they were out of the vowls' range. Dennis was immensely glad when they were done and he vowed to never ever do that again.  
"What are we gonna be out of the forest?" Seamus complained. "Are you sure we're not lost? I think we're lost." He pulled out his wand. "I'll figure out where we're at," but Harry stopped him.  
"We're not lost," Harry interjected. "And we don't need magic to help us. We're doing it the muggle way." Neville spoke up.  
"Are you sure, Harry? We've been walking around for hours and almost got attacked twice. I'm sure a little magic wouldn't hurt us, it's not like we still have the trace on us anymore."  
Harry hesitated. "Oh, alright." Seamus high fived Ron. "But only this spell."  
"Of course," Seamus held his wand flat on his hand. "Point me." His wand moved, turning a little bit to the right, pointing straight. "See," he said, satisfied. "That wasn't so hard."  
Dennis watched him with a calculated look. "When did you learn that? I don't remember that spell."  
Seamus grinned wryly, causing Hermione's cheeks to pinken again. "That's because we weren't taught that spell. Hermione, here, invented it." Neville, Malfoy and Dennis looked vastly impressed.  
"You invented a spell? When?" Neville asked her.  
"Fourth year," she mumbled. "I wanted to help[ Harry during the tournament." Seamus grinned devilishly. "What?"  
"Oh, nothing," he said cheerfully.  
"Seamus Finnigan," she put her hands on her hips. "You tell me what you're thinking right now!"  
"Here?" he grinned slyly. "In public." Hermione threw her hands up i the air, muttering furiously under her breath as she shoved past him. The others, minus Dennis and Neville, followed her.  
"You really like making people mad, mate," Neville shook his head.  
"I'm just yanking her wand," the Irishman snickered.  
"You know she hates it when you're not serious," Neville and the two other men began walking. "You're like Minerva said, you're serious when you need to be but most of the time you're the class clown."  
"Guilty," Seamus grinned, causing Dennis to laugh. "There's nothing wrong with that. I'm having fun."  
"Too much fun sometimes."  
"Hey," Seamus kicked a loose rock. "I'm replenishing my youth."  
"I don't think you ever lost it."  
"I did. Seventh year wasn't exactly peaches and roses as you know."  
"I know," they shared a look, one that Dennis couldn't begin to comprehend or understand. He wasn't there that year. He didn't know the horrors that occured. Seamus and Neville had told him some stories that would forever stick in his mind. How the Carrows had forced people to use the cruciatus curse on tiny first years as target practice. How many non Slytherins had to go without basic needs for punishment like food or medical care. How the Carrows and Snape read all the mail that was wrote so you had to pretend that nothing was going on so parents wouldn't start a rebellion against the school. Dennis couldn't imagine going through that. He couldn't imagine how it must feel living in that castle all year, being in the same place that was once a home now served as a dark reminder of what had once been. He didn't envy them. He admired them. He admired how brave they were then and how brave they were now.  
"Look!" Seamus suddenly gasped. "It's Hagrid's hut! We're out of the forest!" Indeed, Hagrid's familiar hut was coming into view. He abruptly took off, shouting for Dennis and Neville to follow him. Rolling his eyes fondly, Neville took off as well. Seeing no other choice, Dennis ran to catch up. The cool wind against his face felt refreshing and so did the lovely sunshine. Oh how he'd missed it in the dark forest.  
"Boy am I glad to be out," Seamus told them breathlessly when they met him at the front of the hut.  
"Me too," Neville and Dennis said in unison. They waited for the others to come, which wasn't long.  
"Is Hagrid home?" Harry asked, looking around for his long time friend.  
"He's probably in a meeting with Minerva," Neville explained. "They've been talking about the upcoming year exams."  
"So where do we go now?" Malfoy shoved his hands in his pockets. Dennis just now noticed he was wearing muggle blue jeans. "Dumbledore's tomb you said?"  
"Yes," Harry sighed heavily. "Come on," he motioned.  
Dennis quite hoped Minerva and anyone else that could possibly be there would stay inside, preferably away from the windows. Everything had been going so swell, besides the man eating spider and killer owls, he didn't need anything else to ruin this for him.  
When they made it to Dumbledore's tomb, Dennis felt chilled. The memories in his head played like a dvd. Not to far from where he stood, had he and Colin stood on the night of the funeral. Years ago had the safe feeling he always felt at Hogwarts disappeared. Dennis felt like the air was being taken away from him. Like he was being squeezed until he would slowly start to pass out. Then Dennis closed and opened his eyes once more. Colin was standing there, in their spot, staring soberly at the tomb. Dennis trembled at the sight. He was wide eyed until he felt someone shaking him.  
"Dennis!"  
"Is he alright?"  
"I dunno. He looks alright."  
"Maybe he passed out."  
"Don't be daft, Seamus. He would've fallen down."  
"Well excuse me Neville."  
"Oh pipe down."  
"How's he doing?" Harry's voice sounded concerned. "He's just staring. Is he okay?"  
"Dennis," Neville shook him again. "Dennis!"  
"Huh?" Dennis blinked and Colin was gone. "Oh. I'm, er, fine, really," he told the group sheepishly.  
"You don't look fine," Ron pointed out. "You look pale."  
"I'm fine," Dennis insisted, a little roughly this time. "Can we just get the tomb open?"  
Harry nodded, still looking at Dennis in a way the younger man couldn't comprehend. "Go on Seamus."  
Seamus pointed his wand at the tomb lid. "Bombarda Maxima!"


	9. Chapter 9

The tomb lid shattered, sending shards everywhere. The boom was loud, enough to pierce someone's ears. Dennis instinctively covered his own, wincing when the sound still came through. Looking around him and to the damaged tomb, he was sure Minerva was going to kill them did she get the chance.  
"That was brilliant!" Seamus crowd, jumping up and down like a child. "Did you see that? It went boom!" Neville rolled his eyes, mumbling something Dennis couldn't dispher from reading his lips.  
"Focus, Shay," Harry chided lightly. Ron snickered and even Malfoy had cracked a smile. Hermione, however, was not amused by his antics, and rolled her eyes just as Neville had done. Luna was her usual quiet self. Dennis wondered what she was thinking.  
"Right," Seamus headed toward the tomb, a somber look on his face replacing his earlier amusement.  
"I couldn't do that," Dennis mumbled, referring to Seamus going up to the tomb and actually seeing Dumbledore's body. He wondered if it was decayed by now or not. Wizard bodies were different from muggle bodies.  
"Why not?" Dennis clenched his heart, startled by Neville's voice.  
He's going to give us a bloody heart attack one day.  
"I just couldn't. It would be so sad, wouldn't you think? Seeing them in there, dead," the younger man swallowed, his mind drifting back to Colin again. Neville seemed to take the hint and changed the subject.  
"How's it looking in there, Shay?"  
"It smells," Seamus stated the obvious, wrinkling his nose. "But I found it." Reaching into the tomb, he pulled out the Elder Wand and admired it. The wand was still smooth; giving no sign it had been in a tomb for six years.  
"Shay, come on. Hurry up," Neville instructed in a hushed voice. "You can look at it later."  
"Alright, alright," Seamus jogged back to them, handing Harry the wand. "What are you whispering for? No one is here."  
"Filch and Minerva are," Neville pointed out. "You know Minerva would have a fit if she knew what we were doing." Those who had dealt with her wrath before, during their student and teaching years, agreed. Minerva McGonagall was no laughing matter when she was angry. "I just don't want to get caught."  
"We won't," Seamus dismissed the thought with a lazy wave. "We've got the Golden Trio: the masters of sneaking around. We'll be fine, Nev."  
He's got a point.   
"Never mind that," Harry sighed at the use of their nickname that came up during the war. It made Dennis zone out for a moment, briefly wondering what his and Colin's nickname would have been had they gotten one. Dynamic Duo? Camera Boy and Yo-Yo Han (He'd been heavily into yo-yo's at one point during his youth).  
How about Dumber and Dumber? Or Stupid and Stupider?  
"Dennis." Said man jolted out of his daydream, sheepishly looking Harry in the eyes.  
"Er, sorry. Can you repeat that?"  
"Someone's head is in the sky today," Ron snickered again. Dennis quirked an eyebrow. Hermione was obviously teaching him more muggle terms and sayings again.  
"Clouds, Ronald. His head is in the clouds today," Hermione corrected.  
"Yeah, yeah that. Right."  
"What's got you so distracted?" Harry asked then facepalmed his forehead when Dennis clamped his mouth shut with thin lips, a stoic expression on his face. "Oh. Right."  
"I'm sorry," Dennis found himself apologizing. "I don't want to be difficult. This is just hard, you know? I spent six years without him and now suddenly I'm going on an adventure to get him back. It's a bit unreal for me."  
"We understand," Hermione said empathetically. "I was without my parents for a couple years before we could go to Australia to find them."  
"What happened to them?" Dennis asked with furrowed eyebrows.  
"I had to erase their memory the summer after Dumbledore was killed. The war was just getting too dangerous and I just couldn't take the risk of them being tortured or killed because of me. So they had no idea who I was or that they even had a daughter."  
"Wow," Dennis murmured. "I can't even imagine.."  
"We don't know exactly what you're going through, but most of us can sort of understand," she continued on to say. "Harry's lost his parents, Remus and Sirius. Neville's parents had a similar situation, sort of. Seamus lost his family. Luna lost her mother. The Weasley's lost Fred and Mrs. Weasley's twin brothers. Draco's lost most of his family due to their part in the war." She paused to wait for Dennis' reaction.  
She's right. The Know-It-All is right. What a shocker.   
Inwardly, he felt like he'd been punched in the gut. Of course he wasn't the only one dealing with loss. Everyone in the group had lost or nearly lost someone they loved. Yet here he was, complaining and whining over the death of his brother who he had the privilege of spending fifteen years with while some of them, like Harry with his parents, didn't get to spend any time with them at all. . He felt very selfish all of the sudden.  
He must've been showing his emotions on his face because Hermione pulled him into a hug. "Don't feel bad," she advised. "I just want you to know we're all in the same boat. It's a saying Ron," she added when the redhead was about to open his mouth, presumably to question her choice of words. Turning her attention back on Dennis, she said, "We're here for you, Dennis." The others in the group nodded in agreement. Dennis found it a bit hard to swallow that Draco Malfoy was there for him but didn't voice that thought. Malfoy was trying, hard as that may seem, and it was only curious that he return the gesture.  
But what if you really don't want to?   
"Thank you," Dennis told them, somewhat awkwardly and partly touched. Harry spoke up next. "I know we weren't close during school, but I want to change that. If you'll let me."  
Dennis noticed Harry did sound sincere. Perhaps Colin's death and this whole adventure really did spark something in him. "Of course," he said with a grin so wide it made his cheeks ache. "Who am I to pass up a friendship with th Boy-Who-Lived," his eyes sparkled mischievously when Harry rolled his eyes at hearing the nickname he'd been dubbed with.  
"Prat," Harry chided, snickering, making Dennis laugh.  
Neville was the one to break up the moment. "I don't mean to break up this moment but shouldn't we go before someone comes out to investigate the noise?"  
"He's right, you know," Hermione said. "We should leave now if we want to try to get there before sundown."  
"But how are we getting there?" Ron had seemed to completely forgotten the conversation earlier that morning.  
"Brooms, I think," Malfoy answered him, earning a scowl from the redhead.  
"I didn't ask you, Malfoy," Ron said sourly. Hermione elbowed him.  
"He's right," Harry glanced wearily at the both of them. Dennis couldn't blame him. He, himself, didn't particularly enjoy having Malfoy come along but he wasn't going to act like a child over it. "We're using the quidditch brooms."  
"Which is stealing," Hermione emphasized.  
"Not if we bring them back," Harry grinned. She huffed. He held out his wand, saying in a clear voice, "Acico quidditch broom." Within mere seconds, a shiny, brand new broom came into his hands. Ron gasped.  
"No way! No way, no way!"  
"What?" Hermione rolled her eyes at seeing Ron and Harry staring with admiration at the broom.  
"It's a Kickstar 650," Ron was practically drooling.  
"A what?" Hermione groaned.  
"It's one of the best brooms there is!" Harry chimed in. "How did Hogwarts get this?"  
"Some rich lady donated money for the curriculum and made a very large donation to our quidditch fund," Seamus eyed the broom with love in his eyes. Dennis shook his head.  
"He wouldn't shut up about it for ages," Dennis added. "I thought Neville and I would have to gag him."  
"Should have," Neville muttered. "Would have saved all that wasted time I heard about quidditch and brooms."  
Luna was picking another flower when she spoke up again. "I never understood the point of quidditch. It seems to be a great deal of lost time."  
"It is," Neville, Dennis and Hermione said in unison. The quidditch fanatics-Harry, Ron and Seamus- gasped in horror.  
"How could you say that?" Ron yelped. "Quidditch isn't a waste of time!"  
"It's very relaxing," Harry contributed his two cents worth.  
Hermione raised her eyebrow at him. "You mean besides riding a cursed broom, having a killer bludger come after you, and dementors that tried to take your soul?"  
"Er, yeah," Harry rubbed the back of his neck with embarrassment.  
"It's one of the best things about the wizarding world," Seamus protested. "Tell them Draco!" he urged the blonde.  
"It's alright," Malfoy shrugged. He'd lost his passionate love for the game. He didn't despise it like the others did but it wasn't one of his hobbies anymore.  
"Don't listen to him," Seamus waved a hand. "He loves it."  
"Shut up Seamus," Dennis and Neville told him exasperatedly. They both held out their hands and muttered the same spell Harry did. The conversation, it seemed, was over. Eventually, after everyone got their respective broom, Hermione began giving instructions.  
"We'll ride until lunch where we'll stop for about half an hour. Then we'll ride again until sunset, which, if we haven't gotten there by then we'll be camping for the night. Let's try to keep this as quiet as possible. Don't talk loud or make any scenes," she looked right at Seamus when she said that, making the offended Irishman splutter. Dennis smirked. "Alright, any questions?"  
"Yeah, me," Seamus raised his hand, still looking a bit grumpy.  
"Yes Seamus?" she sighed.  
"If it's not serious than we don't want to hear it," Harry cut in.  
Seamus, like a wounded puppy, stuck out his lower lip and slowly dropped his arm down. Neville facepalmed. "He was probably going to talk about his bum again," he muttered to Dennis who glanced back in confusion.  
"You don't want to know," Neville told him seriously.  
"So, any questions? Any serious questions?" Hermione asked again. No one raised their hand at first, at least not until Dennis reluctantly raised his. "Yes Dennis?"  
"Do you think this will work?" he asked quietly, so quietly that he was barely heard by anyone.  
"Well, there is no guarantee but-"  
"No. Do you think it will work?" he rephrased his question. It obviously wasn't something she was prepared for. Hermione spluttered a bit, something he wasn't used to seeing.  
"It might. I'm not entirely sure," she finally admitted.  
"Alright," he replied shortly.  
Oooo someone's mad!   
He felt frustrated and hopeless. He knew at the start of this there wasn't a definite yes, that something could go wrong and they made the journey for nothing. But he'd hoped it wouldn't be the case. Maybe, just maybe, things would go right for him now. They needed to.  
"So, are we all ready?" Hermione asked with fake cheerfulness. They each mounted their broom and, once they were all ready, began floating up in the air together. Gripping his broom so tightly his knuckles turned white, Dennis prayed he wouldn't fall off. He wasn't a habitual flyer, having preferred flop or apparition. The last time he'd ridden one, which was sometime during his school years, he'd been so clumsy that he had fallen off and broken his nose. He'd stayed away ever since.  
"Are you okay, Dennis?" Neville was beside him, watching as he held on with a death grip.  
Obviously.  
"I haven't flown in years," Dennis figured the best thing was not to look, but couldn't help himself. "The last time I did I fell and broke my nose." He grimaced at the memory. "The rest of them all laughed at me for not being able to fly."  
Neville nodded with a knowing smile on his face. "I broke my wrist the first day of our flying lesson. My broom went crazy and I flu up and dropped back down," he grinned wryly. "It was also the day Malfoy stole my remembrall and Harry got on the quidditch team."  
This made Dennis relax a bit and also quirk an eyebrow. "You're the reason Harry started his quidditch career? Merlin's beard," he muttered the last part to himself.  
Neville laughed. "You make me sound so important."  
"You are! I mean, I'd heard rumors about how Harry started but didn't know if any of them were true. You're practically a legend!"  
You sound like a fan girl.   
"Oh, I am not," Neville waved it off. If he was younger, he would have blushed like crazy, but now he wasn't so easily embarrassed; much to Seamus' dismay.  
Speaking of the Irishman, he came gliding up next to them, humming a tune of his own composition. Dennis thought that he spent much too long with Peeves; the poltergeist was certainly rubbing off on him.  
"I wonder when we'll stop for lunch," Seamus commented offhandedly. "I'm hungry."  
"You're always hungry," Neville rolled his eyes. "What's new?"  
Seamus shrugged.  
"I'm not hungry," Dennis declared with a sigh. "I wasn't hungry this morning." Food was the last thing on his mind. How could he eat when in twenty four hours or so he could be hugging his brother again?  
"You still need to," Neville told him. Dennis felt his cheeks redden. He hadn't realized he'd said it out loud.  
"Yeah," Seamus snickered. "Or you might be seeing Colin on a stretcher." He laughed as though it were a really funny joke. Neville and Dennis stared while the former leaned over to whack him on the head.  
"Oi!"  
"Shut up, will you?" Seamus scowled at Neville.  
"Least I got him to shut up for now," Neville grinned at Dennis, but the latter didn't reciprocate. Neville's smile disappeared. "You okay, Dennis? Shay was just teasing."  
Seamus stopped being annoyed at once. "Yeah, Nev's right. I-I didn't mean anything." The last thing he wanted to do was offend him.  
"It's not you," Dennis wished there was more room to squirm on the broom. It was hard to avoid looking at someone when you could only turn your head to avoid falling down to your death. "I just...what if Colin's disappointed in me?" he said in desperation.  
"What?" Neville and Seamus said together.  
"What are you talking about?" Neville asked, completely clueless. "Why would he be disappointed in you?"  
"Well, he doesn't have a girlfriend or a wife. He isn't emotionally stable. He-" Neville wacked Seamus again, nearly sending his friend off the broom. "Go on," Neville told Dennis, giving their Irish friend a warning glance out of the corner of his eye.  
Dennis watched his friends wearily. "Shay is right, Nev. I don't have anyone besides you two, that I'm very close with," he added before they could open their mouths. "And no, I'm not emotionally stable but maybe it'll get better when Colin's here. But that's not the problem. I mean, what if he's disappointed with what I've done with my life? When we were younger I talked about being an auror or a shopkeeper or a job in the Ministry or some other type of cool job. But I'm just a boring old professor," he slumped down a bit. "I wouldn't blame him if he's disappointed in me. I'm disappointed in me."  
Neville carefully considered his words. "Do you hate teaching?"  
"No," Dennis' head rose to meet his eyes. "I love it."  
"Do you ever regret that you didn't choose one of those other jobs?"  
"Not really."  
"Then what's the problem?" Neville smiled softly. "I'd think Colin would want you in a professor that you're happy in. He could probably care less what you're doing so long as he gets to brag about you."  
Dennis' cheeks went bright red again. "He never bragged about me," he muttered.  
"He used to," Seamus vouched for him. "You should've seen him at the welcoming feast fourth year. I thought he was going to wet himself he was so excited for you. He told Harry to keep his fingers crossed so that you'd end up in Gryffindor."  
"Really?" Dennis had never heard that. It wasn't entirely surprising but still, it was nice to hear.  
"Really," Seamus confirmed. "I've never seen a big brother as close to his younger brother as I did with you two." The thought made Dennis grin. "Aye, there it is! There's that smile."  
"Oh lay off," Dennis said without any malice.  
Hours had passed since their last discussion. Dennis had drifted away from Neville and Seamus' conversation, preferring to watch the scenes below him as they continued to fly. Everything looked so small. The trees resembled the tops of broccoli, he noted.  
Everyone in the group was rather quiet now. Some, like Neville and Seamus, were in discussion while others just flew and didn't bother to communicate with anyone. Luna was the last one. She hadn't said a word in such a long while that Dennis forgot about her for the most part until he would look over in her direction and see her radish earrings that she always wore.  
Hermione was in the front of them. He couldn't see her face but assumed it would be red from the wind that had picked up. She was another one that hadn't flown much but from what he could see, she looked like a natural.  
Malfoy was on the outside of them all. He was someone Dennis still hadn't figured out. He'd known during school the blonde was seeker and captain, if he could recall, for the Slytherin quidditch team and was quite good, though he hated to admit. Flying was one of the things Dennis figured Malfoy would go into after Hogwarts; besides prison if he had his way. Yet this wasn't the case. It almost seemed like Malfoy was afraid to fly by the way he was behaving. He gripped his broom tightly like Dennis had in the beginning and would look down every so often with a fearful glint in his eyes. It was the strangest thing he'd ever seen.  
Then there was Harry and Ron. They, like Seamus and Neville, were talking eagerly about something, probably quidditch brooms, without a care in the world, just as if they were teenagers. It was refreshing to see. They'd all grown up a little too soon because of the war, Harry especially. He didn't deserve all what had happened to him and his loved ones.  
None of us did. There you go again! Always putting Harry Bloody Potter on a bloody pedestal!   
"Dennis." Said man jerked up at the sound of his name. Neville had gotten closer to him so he could be heard. "We're landing soon for lunch."  
"Oh," Dennis blinked. "That's good."  
"You're bloody right it is," Seamus rubbed his bum, or, what he could reach of it anyway. "I'm starving and my bum hurts worse then the time Ma beat me with her house slipper."  
Neville massaged his temples. "As the Americans would say, Seamus, too much information."  
"Why'd your mum beat you with her slipper?" Dennis asked curiously. "Mum would just send me and Colin to our rooms if we got in trouble, or take away our dessert."  
Seamus grinned sheepishly. "I kind of blew up her kitchen." Neville muttered something suspiciously like "What a surprise." Seamus ignored it and went on. "I think I was trying to get a cookie from the cookie jar."  
"Why would that blow up the kitchen?" Dennis asked.  
"The jar was on the top shelf and I guess I tried levitating it. If Ma loves anything, it's her kitchen; more than her kids, too."  
The guys shared a laugh. "I couldn't sit down for weeks after," Seamus recalled.  
"How old were you? Nine?" Neville chuckled.  
"Twelve," Seamus said. "Merlin was that a long few weeks."  
"Let's stop right here," Hermione called back, jerking her thumb downward. Dennis peeked and saw lots of trees and what could've been a campground. "We'll have lunch then continue on."  
Getting a broom back down to the ground was a lot harder than going up in the air with one. Dennis struggled to remember what Madam Hooch said when he had his first flying lesson. But alas, he couldn't. If it hadn't been for Neville instructing him on what to do he would've been totally lost.  
Once they made it to the ground, Hermione conjured them up a log to sit on. She'd been camping with her folks when she was a kid and this adventure was bringing her back so many memories. She and Seamus were the only ones who had been. Dennis and his family were too poor to go on any vacations or to have any equipment. Harry shortly said his relatives were never fond of sleeping outdoors and the purebloods-Neville, Malfoy, Ron and Luna- had never heard of such a thing.  
"Isn't this nice?" Hermione gushed, munching on a packed sandwich.  
"I would hardly call this-OW!" Ron jumped up from his seat on the log, his heads on his backside. "I have a splinter in my bum!"  
Seamus burst into heavy laughter, followed by Harry and Neville. Malfoy was obviously trying not to laugh, as so not to anger the redhead anymore than he'd had. Luna just smiled and said, "Oh dear." Hermione tried thinking up spells to use so nobody would have to physically help Ron get the splinter out and as for Dennis, he watched them lightheartedly. Ron ran around yelling and squealing in pain with Hermione rushing after him and urging him not to sit down.  
"I don't think that will be a problem," Seamus observed them, facing the other guys with a grin. "Twenty gallons says they get together by the time this is all over."  
"Ron and Hermione?" Harry's eyebrows rose skeptically. "Why would they get together? They're always fighting."  
"So?" Seamus shrugged. "They have a lot of sexual tension that can't be ignored."  
Hehe I knew I liked this guy.   
Harry groaned, covering his ears. Neville rubbed his eyes. "Does everything have to be sexual to you, Seamus?"  
Obviously.   
"Of course," he nodded vigorously. "C'mon, Nev. You can't tell me you never thought about them doing it."  
"I haven't," Neville said firmly.  
"But it would make sense," Seamus didn't always have the best time recognizing social cues, such as when people wanted him to shut up, thus he continued on. That, or he just ignored it completely. The latter seemed more likely. "Maybe they did it and Ron was awful and now he can't deal with the crippling loss of his manhood." The four of them-Neville, Harry, Malfoy and Dennis-stared at him.  
Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! This guy is smart. Why aren't you?  
"I don't quite think that's it, Shay," Malfoy said slowly. "Hermione hasn't done it with anyone."  
"How would you know, Ferret?" Ron's splinter was out and he was coming back toward them, scowling at Malfoy for what he just heard. "Hermione!" the redhead bellowed. "Why does he know!?"  
Oooh! I smell a fight coming on.   
"Ron be quiet," she hissed then turned her attention on Malfoy. "I thought I told you not to say anything about that and it's none of their business anyway!"  
Ding! Round one goes to the bushy witch with the big forehead!   
"What do you mean I told you not to say anything?" Ron's face turned ugly. "Mione, are you talking to him about your personal things?"  
Hermione sighed. "Yes Ronald."  
"Why haven't you told us!?" Dennis wouldn't have been surprised if steam came out of the redhead's ears. "We're your friends!"  
"So is Draco," she defended. "He understands some of what I'm going through. It's nice to have someone to talk about things like that."  
"What about Harry and I?" Ron was devastated. "We're your best friends." Dennis noticed Harry did not look upset like Ron was. His face was purely calm.  
"Ron, Harry's busy with his auror things and you have your job and the joke shop on your mind. I doubt you would have time to listen to my problems."  
"You could send a letter to Ginny," Ron crossed his arms. "And Malfoy's an auror too!"  
"He's not head of the department, Ron. And Ginny's busy with her quidditch career in Bulgaria, she doesn't have time either."  
Ron was quickly losing his patience now that she was chipping away at every curve he would throw at her. Harry spoke up to, hopefully, defuse the situation. "Ron, why is it a problem? I don't care if she confides in Draco. That doesn't mean she's any less of our best friend."  
Having no other solid base of foundation for his argument, Ron slumped back down on the log and ate his food in silence. An awkward silent, that was for sure. It had just sunk in that everyone now knew she was a virgin so Hermione was embarrassed to say the least; embarrassed and angry that Malfoy spilled the beans. She'd blatantly told Seamus that any quip out of him would result in something worse then a painful bum. Luna found this particularly amusing, giggling that was infectious to Harry, Malfoy, Dennis and Neville.  
Soon after, they packed up and got on their brooms to fly again. Dennis quite liked flying now that he learned to control it. Harry and Seamus told him all he needed to know in a quick, five minute tutorial. The view was very lovely; if he had a camera he would've taken a picture.  
Perhaps it's by a miracle, but he doesn't flinch at the thought. There was no grimince nor the feeling of tears welling in his eyes. He felt calm, completely normal; just like before his entire world was ripped apart and he was given a new normal to ponder over.


	10. Chapter 10

It was pitch black out by now; the sun had long set and by now they could barely see what was in front of them. Hermione announced to the group that they should stop for the night and rest until tomorrow morning when they would set off again.  
Dennis wrung his hands as Hermione went over the sleeping arrangements: she would share a tent with Luna, Malfoy and Harry would share one, Ron and Neville would share one and finally, Seamus and Dennis would share one.  
"Excellent!" Seamus clapped his hands together. "C'mon, Den." He dragged him to the tent after it was conjured, bouncing with excitement. He plopped down and into his sleeping bag, getting himself comfortable with his hands behind his back. Dennis followed suite.  
"Wanna see the stars?" Seamus asked, grinning.  
Dennis frowned in confusion. "How are we going to do that?"  
"Like this," Seamus flicked his wand a few times and Dennis was secretly concerned he would cause an explosion. But that didn't happen. The top of the tent vanished and they could see all the states in the sky.  
"Wow," Dennis breathed in amazement. "That's incredible."  
Seamus smiled serenely in a way reminiscent of Luna. "Isn't it? I had the same reaction when mum did on our first family camping trip. I was a wee lad of seven that had quite the interest in making our campfire explode." a bittersweet smile came onto his face as he remembered his early years. But the smile went as quickly as it came and the Irishman changed the subject.  
"Whaddya say after all this we find you a girlfriend?"  
"A girlfriend?" Dennis wondered where the sudden urge came from. "Why?"  
"You're in your early twenties without one. Do you know how pathetic that looks?" Seamus was never intentionally rude, he just had a habit, like Ron, of blurting out whatever came to mind; such as now.  
"You're nearly twenty-five without one. Do you know how pathetic that looks?" Dennis retorted. Seamus scowled in response. "Shay, I don't need a girlfriend."  
"Yes you do," Seamus insisted. "You want one, I know you do."  
"I don't have time for one. Teaching takes a lot of time. How am I supposed to give her what she needs when I'm at the castle teaching?" Dennis felt a headache coming on. This conversation was exactly what he did not need at the moment. Seamus was just trying to help but help was the last thing he wanted. "And it's not as if I have girls lining up for me anyway," he added.  
His friend rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. "Wouldn't Colin want you to have someone? To be happy with?"  
Dennis felt a spark of anger. How dare he use Colin's name like that? "Shut up, Shay," he growled, startling the Irishman. "You don't get to talk about Colin like that. You don't know what he'd want!"  
"Okay, okay," Seamus held his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it..." But Dennis was too angry to acknowledge his apology. He turned over in his sleeping bag, muttering furiously. He ignored Seamus' attempts at further conversation. After what seemed like an eternity, his friend finally quit, sighed and also turned over, falling asleep minutes later. Dennis, however, was quite restless. Part of him felt terribly guilty for the way he treated his friend and thought about apologizing, but the other part of him was still furious with him.  
He rubbed his face roughly, burrowing his face in the cold pillow. There was a surge of fear that ran through him, his eyelids were heavy and he knew sleep was near but desperately needed to fight it. Dennis felt like a nervous wreck; torn between which feeling was worse, seeing his brother for the first time in six years or knowing the threat of sleep was near. Ever since the end of the war he'd been plagued by nightmares, how ironic considering he played such a minor part, hardly a part at all if it weren't for the fact that he had been a muggleborn on the run or otherwise faced death. Every dream was different but boiled down to the same conclusion: they all had Colin in them, alive and well, alibet a little dirty. Some nights he craved sleep so he could hear his brother's sweet voice and see his face and pretend they were back in their makeshift campsite. Except that nights like this he dreaded it.  
His family had never been able to go on a real camping trip like other muggle families did. So when the both of them were on the run, Colin made sure to make memories with his brother while the threat of dying loomed over their heads. Colin was always so considerate.  
Despite his best efforts, Dennis' eyes fluttered and he fell in a much needed deep sleep.  
"Where am I?" Dennis wondered out loud. Where was the camp site? Where was everyone?  
"Move kid!" someone shoved past him, sending Dennis onto the ground.  
"How rude," Dennis scowled. He stood up and looked around. He was in a forest; but why was the forest so familiar?  
A shrill scream pierced his ears. From behind him a Death Eater was fighting off something, Dennis didn't know what. It was big but hidden by the shadows. Much to his horror, the Death Eater was devoured in one gulp.  
Fear flooded Dennis, he took a couple steps back; careful not to make any noise.  
Crunch.  
He cursed himself. He'd snapped a twig. The hidden creature moved its head and looked straight at him. Paralyzed by fear, Dennis didn't have it in him to scream.  
Run. Run you idiot, he inwardly yelled.  
So he did.  
Dennis took off running. He never looked back but he knew it was following him. He could hear it.  
He saw a light, well, actually, many lights. He realized it was from spells, not an actual light. He kept running anyway.  
Soon, Dennis began to get tired. His lungs begged for air and his muscles ached. He couldn't stop-not now. He kept running until, finally, he wasn't in the forest anymore.  
His eyes widened at what he saw-it was Hogwarts! The battle-it was happening now! Everyone was fighting and he could see people dropping dead right in front of him.  
Colin, he breathed, he needed to find Colin and save him.  
Much to his utter frustration, Colin was nowhere to be seen.  
Dennis ducked as he passed a duel between Seamus Finnigan and some Death Eater. Seamus didn't even notice him; hmm, that was strange.  
Maybe Colin was on the other side of the castle. Dennis hoped he was. He really didn't want to search the whole bloody castle for him. He was almost all around when he heard his brother cry, "Confringo!"  
Dennis' heart leaped out of his chest. Colin was fighting Antonin Dolohov; putting his everything into this fight. His clothes looked dirty and torn. He, himself, looked dirty with bruises and cuts. He looked exhausted yet energetic. He was readily spouting off spells as if it came naturally. Dolohov was doing the same; though, he was caught off guard a few times.  
'This is it,' Dennis realized. 'This is where Colin dies.'  
He had to warn him. It was now or never.  
Just as he was about to do just that, Colin turned around. Dennis tried to talk to him but Colin's gaze wasn't on Dennis-it was Neville.  
Neville was saying something to him; Dennis couldn't quite hear over all the ruckus. Whatever it was, Colin seemed to be pleased to hear it.  
Neville's face then took a look Dennis hadn't seen on him before: absolute fear. He opened his mouth and that's when Dennis turned back to watch Dolohov. The Death Eater uttered those horrid words and a burst of green light shot out of his wand. Dennis tried to scream; to warn him, but he couldn't.  
The spell hit Colin right in the chest. He fell flat on his back; dead.  
'No...no, no, no, NO!' Dennis inwardly screamed.  
"NO!" Breathless and covered in his own sweat, Dennis shot up in his sleeping bag. His cheeks were wet from the salty tears that poured from his eyes, streaming down his face. He quickly sent a glance over at Seamus; the Irishman was still sleeping soundly, not even stirring from Dennis' scream he'd uttered. The young man pulled his knees close to his chest, rocking back and forth to comfort himself.  
When they'd been kids, Colin would run his hands through Dennis' hair whenever he got scared, usually because of thunderstorms. It was something that, no matter how trivial of a gesture it was, made a big difference. When Colin went off to Hogwarts and Dennis found himself alone at night, it became real that he was in fact alone now and would have to deal with it himself. That feeling heightened after Colin's death.  
"No, no, no," a few sobs escaped his lips and he hoped no one else would hear him, knowing how absolutely mortified he would feel if they did. "Please, no, please!"  
Seamus' arms flung around as he was beginning to awaken. "I'll have some waffles mum," he mumbled. Another cry from Dennis jolted him completely awake. "Huh?" After yawning, he leaned on his side, watching his best friend worriedly. "Dennis, are you okay?" There was no response from him, so Seamus did the only thing he could think up. He slid out of his sleep bag, careful not to make sudden sounds or movements, and crawled closer, pulling Dennis into his arms. Unlike what he'd assumed, Dennis didn't fight him. Seamus felt the younger man bury his face in his neck and tears fell from Denins' eyes down Seamus' neck and into his shirt, not that he minded.  
"Shh, it's okay," Seamus stroked Dennis' hair with one hand and rubbed his back with the other. The younger man's sobs became louder and he wondered if he'd have to put up a silencing charm. "Want to tell me what happened?"  
"I'm sorry," Dennis sobbed, his whole body shaking. It scared Seamus to death to hear how broken he sounded. "I'm sorry! Please don't me mad at me. I'm sorry!"  
"Sorry for what?" Seamus asked calmly, although with slight confusion.  
"For being mad at you," Dennis' voice cracked like a teenage boy in puberty. "I'm so sorry. You were just trying to help..."  
Seamus squeezed him. "It's okay. I understand, you have nothing to be sorry for. I shouldn't have said that." They sat in silence for a second before he repeated his earlier question in a gentle tone. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"  
"No," Dennis gasped out, or, at least that's what the Irishman thought he said.  
"Okay," it was time to go a different route. " Did you have a nightmare?" Seamus asked in the soft voice he reserved for Teddy. Dennis nodded his head but didn't further any explanation.  
"What was it about?" Seamus didn't want to pry too much. If he did, Dennis might withdraw. Dennis didn't answer for a while; Seamus wondered if he fell asleep. Finally, a small, quivering voice said, "Colin."  
Well that explained it. "Do you want to talk about it?" Seamus pushed Dennis' bangs to the side, careful to upset him more. Another sob left his throat, this time causing a small coughing fit. "I-I guess."  
"Take your time," Seamus told him, resting his chin on Dennis' head.  
Dennis took a deep, shaky breath, suppressing more sobs. His chest heaved, letting his friend know just how hard this was for him. "I was in the Forbidden Forest. Some Death Eater was fighting a creature and it ate him. It tried to go after me but I lost it after I got out of the forest. I tried looking for Colin and found him fighting Dolohov; he looked the same as the last time I'd seen him," another sob, "alive. I tried talking to him but he couldn't hear me. Neville said something to him then Dolohov casted the killing curse."  
"What happened after that?" Seamus asked patiently, his heart breaking at what the simple dream had done to his friend.  
"He just fell on his back... I-I was so scared. I tried to scream but I couldn't."  
Seamus felt helpless on what to do,what to say. How does one comfort someone after a dream like that?  
"It's going to be alright," Seamus said, craidling Dennis as tears formed in his own eyes. "I've got you. Shhh."  
Dennis gripped his shirt, wishing he would never have to let go. "Thank you, Shay," he buried his face in Seamus' chest, a few stray tears fell down his cheeks.  
"No problem," Seamus smiled a watery smile even though Dennis couldn't see it. "You know I'm always here for you."  
Dennis didn't bother with a reply. Seamus knew he was appreciated, having been told several times when Dennis would be drowning in guilt for whatever reason. Those were the times he felt the most crummy. But Seamus understood. He always did.  
A poke on his back brought him back to reality. "We should try to sleep," Seamus stated. Hermione will probably wake us up early." He grimaced at the thought, though that was unbeknownst to Dennis.  
Speaking of Dennis, he fought back another sob at hearing this. The nightmare was still fresh in his mind; he couldn't possibly sleep now. Nevertheless, he lifted his head, showing his bright red and puffy eyes to the world and wiggled out of Seamus' embrace. He didn't seem to notice the bewildered expression on his friend's face.  
"What are you doing? Come back here!"  
"What?" Dennis sniffled like a child.  
"C'mere, I'll hold you," Seamus beckoned him over, a sincere smile on his lips.  
Dennis chewed on his bottom lip, hesitant for a split second. "Why?" he, in the midst of his tears, tilted his head like a confused child.  
Seamus rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to comfort you," he grumbled good-naturedly.  
The recognition showed on Dennis' face. "Oh!"  
And you're a professor?   
His Irish friend chuckled, then enchanted the sleeping bag he was occupying to make it bigger for the both of them. Seamus crawled in first then accompanied by Dennis. The latter was feeling a little shy after what had transpired but if his friend noticed his behavior, he didn't indicate anything. Seamus wrapped his strong arms around Dennis' middle, tucking his head underneath his own chin. It felt really nice to be held.  
"Thanks Shay," Dennis murmured with a tiny, tearful smile.  
"No problem. Just don't make a habit out of this," Seamus warned him jokingly. Dennis smiled weakly but otherwise didn't comment any further.  
Eventually, Seamus drifted off to sleep, which was evident by his snoring that was like a horn blowing in Dennis' ear. The latter stayed awake for some time, eyes as round as saucers. He felt exhausted from his earlier crying, yet not enough to sleep. The headache he'd predicted was now in effect at full force.  
Dennis took a deep breath to calm his nerves. His heart was racing much too fast for comfort. Seamus, still asleep, held him even tighter, burying his face in the back of Dennis' neck.  
At least Seamus is comfortable, he thought dryly.  
Forcing his eyes shut, he tried relaxing his body; digesting Seamus' prior words. He didn't know what time it was but it had to be near morning; after midnight at least.  
I'm not getting any sleep, he inwardly groaned at the thought of another sleepless night. He tried focusing on the positives; if this worked, if Harry and Malfoy were right, he could have his brother back. He could show Colin all of what he missed, they could hangout and maybe even move in together; that had been their plan originally until one of them got married. Dennis could hardly wait for the chance to bring Colin around to their parents house to surprise them. They'd have their weekly family friday nights, share holidays together again and have Sunday dinners their mum had wanted Dennis to attend but ones that he'd skillfully avoided.  
Their dad had a vague interest in photography, not like the fiery zeal Colin had, and they would discuss his photos and how he could improve them. Dennis, like their mum, preferred to stay out of such conversations, of which he found exceedingly dull.  
Dennis yawned. There was so much he wanted to do with his brother, so much to say...  
Taking another breath, shallower than the last, he drifted off calmly into a light sleep with a slight smile on his lips as Seamus continued to hold him.  
HPHPHP  
He didn't know what time it was, probably early judging by the bright sunshine that hit the tent. He hadn't slept well, maybe a couple hours, maybe not even that. All he knew was that he was hot. His bangs were wet, the back of his shirt was soaked; he wiggled out of the sleeping bag, wondering why it felt so warm when he heard soft snores from beside him. Frozen, he reluctantly glanced over his shoulder then squeezed his eyes shut. "Seamus," he gasped quietly. Why was he sleeping next to Seamus? What happened last night? The logical part of him pointed out there had to be a valid reason why he had been in Seamus' sleeping bag. There had to be.  
"Morning," Seamus' voice broke his concentration. "Are you feeling better?" Dennis wanted to ask what he was talking about when a light bulb went off.  
The dream.   
That's what happened. He remembered everything; including Seamus holding him as he bawled. Dennis inwardly cringed.  
Okay, okay, I just need to calm down.   
What you need is a therapist.   
Dennis ignored the voices long enough to answer Seamus' question. "I'm fine," he wasn't sure if he was trying to convince Shay or himself. "Really, don't worry." He refused to look back at Seamus; he didn't want to see any pity or sympathy. He knew he wasn't fine, he felt bloody awful. His head was throbbing and every noise seemed to be another cut to his head. His chest was burning from his unconscious breath holding. The ache that attacked his back seemed to spread. All Dennis wanted to do was sleep; the little he'd gotten the night before amounted to nothing.  
"Listen Seamus-" Dennis began, rubbing away at his bloodshot eyes. He trailed off, brain fiddling for a sensible reply that would satisfy his friend. Seamus looked toward him expectantly, patiently waiting. "I, er," he stumbled, a twinge of anger forming at his incompetence.  
He must've been showing his frustration because Seamus asked in concernment, "Are you sure you're alright?"  
"I'm fine," he insisted tersely. "Stop worrying."  
This created a staredown, one that he soon lost due to Seamus' intense gaze. "I can't help but be worried for you," his friend frowned.  
Dennis struggled to come up with a reply. "I don't need you to be. I'm fine, see?" he faked a smile, even he wasn't convinced.  
"Mhm," Seamus clicked his tongue. "Listen, Den, if you're worried I'm going to tell the others about last night, I won't. It's none of my business."  
Dennis couldn't deny the feeling of utmost relief.  
"But when you're ready to talk," Seamus slid out of his sleeping bag and unzipped the tent, "I'll be ready to listen." He stepped out quietly.  
Dennis dropped back onto the sleeping bag, groaning at the slight pain in his was everyone trying to talk to him? Didn't they understand he just wanted to be left alone?  
"Dennis?" Neville poked his head in. The young man in question nearly had a heart attack. "Hermione wanted me to tell you to get up. We've got to go soon."  
"I'll be right out," he told Neville tiredly. Neville nodded, his head disappearing out of the tent. "This is going to be a long day," Dennis told himself.  
HPHPHP  
Dennis slumped down in the midst of the hectic morning ahead. He chose not to verbally acknowledge the greetings, merely grunting and hoping they would get the hint. To his right, Ron was whining again, something that Hermione had enough.  
"Stop complaining," she chided. "And eat your breakfast," she added for good measure. Dennis had no doubt she would be a fantastic mom in the future if she so decided to. She had the mannerisms down pat.  
"This is not breakfast," Ron grumbled, shoving a handful of berries and nuts into his mouth.  
"We needed something fast, you know that, Ronald," Hermione rolled her eyes at him.  
Dennis was pointedly refusing to look anywhere but straight and to his right. Seamus was next him but wasn't facing him. He was in a conversation with Neville; about what, he didn't know. But he did know that he definitely did not want to converse with him now.  
"How did you sleep, Dennis?" Hermione asked pleasantly after breaking off her argument with Ron.  
Horrible.  
"Great," he lied, raising his voice a little too loud. Seamus, briefly stopping his conversation, glanced out of the corner of his eye curiously. Hermione looked like she wanted to ask something else, in fact, so did Seamus, but, thankfully, Draco stepped in.  
"The Sanctuary of Angels is close so we'll be walking from here on."  
"Fantastic," Harry said delighted.  
Dennis lowered his eyes. "Yeah," he muttered. "Fantastic."  
After they finished eating and dressed in new clothes for the day, the group began cleaning up their campsite. Dennis was manually taking the tent apart when Luna approached him, humming a tune softly.  
"You had a nightmare," she stated matter-of-factly.  
His eyes became round and he shushed her, darting around to make sure no one else heard. "Did Seamus tell you?" he asked furiously. "Because if he did I swear-" Luna simply smiled.  
"Of course not, silly."  
His anger dissipated. "Then how did you know?" he said confusedly, shoulders slumping.  
The blonde blew out a breath of air. "You're very tense and jumpy. It's a characteristic of handling nightmares."  
Dennis should've known she would know. He swore sometimes she was a seer in disguise. "You're right," he admitted. "I did and I made a fool of myself in front of Seamus." He spoke his friends name in a whisper.  
"Silly, Seamus doesn't mind you crying," she said fondly. "He's your friend."  
"Last night was different," Dennis gnawed on his lower lip. "I was in his sleeping bag last night, he held me while I slept," he elaborated when Luna blinked.  
"There's nothing wrong with that," she countered. "He was comforting you. Why does that upset you?"  
"I don't know!" he pulled at his hair, wincing when he accidentally pulled one out. "I've been upset loads of times and Shay is usually there for me. I should be used to it. I don't know what's wrong with me." Luna patted him on the shoulder.  
"That's an easy answer," she said with a smile. "Did Colin ever comfort you when you had a nightmare as a child?"  
"Of course," he replied. "He was the only reason I could get through a storm."  
"And did he ever hold you?"  
"Yes," he said slowly. "But I don't understand-"  
"Don't you see? Seamus is Colin."  
"What?" Dennis thought she'd finally lost it. "I don't understand."  
"Colin was your protector as a child and now that he's gone you've latched onto Seamus. Now that you're getting Colin back, you feel as though you've cheated on him, to some degree. You're guilty, that's all."  
"You couldn't have just said that?" Dennis grumbled.  
"Dennis," she placed her hands on his cheeks. "Colin will understand. You needed someone, you can't be faulted for that."  
He let her words sink in, processing them and realizing, reluctantly, that she was indeed correct. "Even so," he sighed, pausing from his tent work. His eyes shifted past Luna and onto everyone else; it was as if he and Luna didn't coexist with them, in a sense of being visible. "I can't help but think..." he trailed off. The blonde understood perfectly, thankfully.  
"You mustn't think like that," she shook her head, causing her hair to sway back and forth. "Colin was hardly ever angry. Why would he be that way now?"  
"I-I don't know," there was that inability to speak again. "Why wouldn't he?" he slumped to the ground, helpless. "I've betrayed him. And now Seamus hates me."  
"Seamus doesn't hate you," Luna joined him, picking the nearest flower and bringing it to her nose. She inhaled the scent with a slight smile. "He's worried about you."  
Dennis wished she were right. His mind recalled the previous night's events and he buried his face in his hands in angst. "You didn't see what happened last night," he said miserably.  
Luna hummed. "The nightmare?"  
"No, before that," by now, he was distinctly unforgettable, being so close to revealing his nasty side to her. "I got angry at him," this didn't faze her by any means so he continued. "Shay suggested we find me a girlfriend after this, he kept saying I need one."  
"Don't you want one?" she picked another flower.  
"Of course I do," he should have known she would ask. "But how can I have one when I'm always teaching? Plus, I'm horrible when it comes to romance. I don't know what girls want!" He was beginning to get a bit rolled up by the conversation, something Luna picked up on.  
"What did you say after that?"  
"I just kind of brushed it off. Shay's brought it up loads of times and I just ignore it."  
"But he didn't let you?" she guessed. "And that's why you got angry?"  
"Err, no," he found sudden interest in his shoes. "He...he brought up Colin. He said Colin would've wanted me to be happy with someone," after a few minutes of silence, initiated by the abrupt peak of emotion brought on by the recollection, Dennis quietly confessed the rest of the story. "I got so angry at him for talking like that, like he would know what Colin would have wanted."  
Luna placed her soft hand on top of his. "Seamus didn't mean any harm," her voice was as angelic as his brother said it was. "He was only trying to help."  
"I know," he groaned, breaking the somber mood he'd created. "I begged for his forgiveness and he," he smiled bittersweetly, "he told me I had nothing to be sorry for."  
"But you don't believe that," Luna said matter-of-factly. It was a statement, not a question.  
"No," Dennis sometimes wondered if she was a seer, "I don't."  
Luna turned her gaze on the pretty flowers, admiring them. "You just need to find your way."  
"Huh?" Out of all the things she'd said, that made the least sense. "Luna, I don't get it. What's that supposed to-" but the blonde had already gotten up and was skipping toward Harry and Malfoy. He sighed. Perhaps he would find out later. The young man rose to his feet, mulling over her words.  
"Aye." He turned around sharply, Seamus stood with a mischievous yet reserved grin, leaning casually against a nearby tree. . "You and Luna, eh?"  
"What about me and Luna?" Dennis scoffed forcedly. "There's nothing going on between us. Why are you asking about me and Luna?" It was a habit, to ramble nervously, a habit he most hated.  
"Just wondering," Seamus said easily. "You two were awfully close," he winked.  
"Yeah, well-"he stammered. "It was nothing. Nothing," he repeated in order to sound genuine.  
"Of course not," Seamus was neither mocking nor believing. It was times like this that drove Dennis insane. "But if something was up," there was his usual teasing tone.  
"There wasn't," Dennis denied. "Absolutely nothing. I've been working on the tent the whole time."  
"Okay," Seamus smirked. He turned on his heel, throwing a glance over his shoulder before departing, "By the way, Hermione wants to know how long you're going to stand there. We have to get moving."  
Dennis tried not to feel embarrassed upon realizing that he'd actually done little to his assigned job. "I'm coming," he replied shortly.  
After the tent was finally done, from a little assiotstance by Seamus, the group set off to complete their journey. The next step was to walk through the woods because, according to Malfoy, the Sanctuary of Angels was on the other side of it. Unlike the forbidden Forest, a pathway could be uncovered with the flick of a wrist. Magic, Dennis thought, was so terribly convenient.  
He still found it difficult in his heart to talk to Seamus after the confrontation between them, even if they had made up. It was just so hard, looking him in the eye, remembering that he'd seen him at his weakest point. Sure, Seamus had comforted him loads of times before so this shouldn't have been any different, but it was. It was different. He couldn't just let it go.  
"Omf!" Dennis found himself lying with his back on the ground. A particularly painful headache came over him, starting from the back of his head until it was all over. When the spots in his vision subsided, he noticed a large branch hanging overhead. A groan escaped his lips. How did he not see that coming? The pain soured through his face and his nose felt like it had been pushed to one side. Staggering to his feet, he dusted off his clothes with lazy, unhelpful swipes. How many more times was he going to humiliate himself?  
He vaguely noticed Harry slowed down just enough to fall into step with him. Just before that, he watched as Seamus whispered something into Harry's war; Harry whispered back and the Irishman went on ahead.  
"Morning," Harry smiled at a blushing Dennis. "And if it's any consolation, I've done much worse and had people laugh at me."  
Dennis smiled gratefully, feeling a bit better by the older man's words. "Thanks Harry."  
"So," Harry was hesitant, careful even. It immediately put Dennis on edge. "I know about the nightmare."  
Dennis' face darkened, his body froze and he felt nearly at a loss for words. "He told you?" he asked harshly, feeling the utmost betrayal. How could Seamus do that to him?  
"No, listen. No one told me. I just knew."  
"You just knew?" Dennis raised his eyebrows skeptical but somewhat more relaxed than he'd been a moment prior. "How?"  
"I used to have nightmares all the time from Voldemort. I was up last night and I heard you scream," Harry explained softly.  
Dennis' face softened. "Oh," he said, unsure of what else to say.  
"I'm just saying; if you ever need to talk about something you can talk to me. I won't judge you for anything," Harry promised.  
"Okay," Dennis agreed, smiling awkwardly. "Harry," he said suddenly, "can I ask you something?"  
"Sure. Anything," Harry encouraged.  
"Why are you doing this?"  
Harry's confusion was evident. "What? Wanting to talk to you?"  
"No," Dennis wasn't quite sure if he wanted to continue but some part of him pushed the issue. "No, I mean: why are you taking me to get my brother back?" He genuinely didn't understand. "You could be getting your parents back or Fred Weasley; or anyone! Why my brother?"  
Harry became quiet. "Did he ever tell you about his first year of Hogwarts? You know, meeting me and all?"  
"Yeah," a smile formed on Dennis' lips. "He told me he couldn't believe he was in the same school as the Harry Potter." He chuckled.  
"I was quite annoyed by him," the older man admitted, not that the revolution was anything new.  
"I don't blame you," Dennis told him. How could he? As much as it angered him the way he treated Colin, what exactly did his brother expect? He surely wouldn't have been as patient as Harry was if the roles were reversed.  
"I'd really wish I'd gotten the chance to get to know him better," Harry said lamely. "I don't appreciate him when he was alive and I should have. If I could have a do over I would."  
Dennis' question surprised them both. "Would you really?"  
"Huh?" he seemed to have caught the other man off guard. A small part of Dennis' gleamed in satisfaction.  
"Would you really have gotten to know him better if you had a do over?"  
"Of course," Harry said adamantly. "I've accepted my parents' deaths, Sirius', Remus'. And I've slowly come to accept Fred's. But I never got over Colin's."  
Dennis was perplexed. "Really?"  
"Really," Harry confirmed. "When I saw Oliver holding his body...I felt so low. Not even people like Colin were safe from death. I'd always thought he'd be the last to die. He was just so happy..." the older man wipe his eyes. Dennis was startled to see actual tears. "I guess it's true when they say no one is invincible to death."  
"Yeah," Dennis murmured. "I guess so."  
The Talking dead down. Harry slowly migrated to the front where he struck up a conversation with Ron and Malfoy. Dennis was in the back by himself, preferring it that way. He even dodged Neville's attempts. He knew it wasn't fair; Neville hadn't done anything wrong. Yet he couldn't bring himself to converse. What if Seamus had told him about Dennis' nightmare? It was unlikely, but still a pressing fear in his mind. In the midst of his daydreaming, his face collided with Luna's back.  
How many more times are you going to get hit by things!?   
"Sorry Luna," he apologized, his cheeks dusty with a red tinge. She hadn't been the only one who stopped, everyone did, in fact.  
"Do you feel that?" Seamus asked no one in particular. "Someone's got to feel that!"  
Dennis did. It felt like a weird pressure all over his body, not necessarily toward the range of pain, but a sensation that was a lot like what one would feel after sleeping on their arm for a while.  
"I feel it too," Hermione nodded.  
"Me too," Neville glanced around cautiously.  
"We're close," Malfoy alerted them. "It's slowly configuring our magic. We're losing control." He glanced back at everyone with slight apprehensiveness. "We've got to be careful. If anything goes wrong it could kill us."  
"Good thing we know the resurrection spell," Seamus joked and winched when everyone glared in his direction.  
"Not funny, Seamus," Neville sighed.  
Dennis rolled his eyes. Trust Seamus to make a joke at the most inappropriate time.  
"But where is it?" Ron asked loudly. "If it's messing with our magic it's got to be close. I don't see it."  
Malfoy waved his wand, murmuring an incarnation. A great deal away, behind some trees and vines, stood the Sanctuary of Angels. It was hard not to be impressed. The structure resembled the chinese temples Dennis had learned about in primary school. The rooftop was flat, the color was of gold, and it looked decayed, like it hadn't been taken care of in years. Ron shuddered at the massive amounts of spider webs. There was a long, treacherous flight of stairs to get to the top.  
"It's huge," Ron stared dumbly.  
"Whoa," Dennis muttered.  
"Well," Hermione said with uncertainty, "let's get going."  
The stairs, in Dennis' opinion, were far too long. It was even worse now that it was in the middle of summer. In a matter of minutes his shirt was soaked with his own sweat, not a pleasant feeling to endure. But, after much grumbling from both Ron and Seamus, they'd finally made it. All they had to do was get passed the door.  
Harry pointed his wand straight at the door. "Alohomora Duo," he said sharply.  
The door opened obediently.  
Dennis felt his stomach drop.  
This was it. It was now or never


	11. Chapter 11

Dennis had to pinch his nose in order not to gag as soon as the atrocious smell hit his nostrils. The Sanctuary of Angels, as nice of a name it was, was not as similarly nice on the inside. It was dark, they had to use their wands for light. Along the walls were skeletal heads that talked and moved. Dennis nearly had a heart attack when one of the heads glared in his direction. No matter how many years he'd been in the magical world, it still never failed to surprise him.  
At the end of the long hallway, Malfoy suggested they split up into two. Initially, Dennis was with Hermione, Malfoy, Harry and Luna; that is, until Neville diagreed and now Dennis was stuck with Harry and Seamus. The rest went the opposite way-left, while they went right.  
"So what exactly are we looking for?" Seamus coughed from all the dust. He tried to meet Dennis' eyes but the younger man refused to acknowledge him. It was silly, to overreact about such a trivial matter; but for Dennis, it was not a trivial matter. Luna was right-he'd latched onto Seamus and now he needed to let go but that was easier said then done.  
"A way to get up on the roof," Harry said absentmindedly, feeling the wall as he walked by. "There should be a button on the wall-something."  
"I don't think wizards would keep a button in a sanctuary," Dennis teased the older wizard. He didn't seem to notice Seamus' frown.  
"One can hope," Harry responded.  
The trio continued going down the hall, making another right. The hallway, it seemed, grew more narrow as they went on. The air felt warm; an appropriate temperature for a summer day in a non ventilated area. If this wasn't in the magical word Dennis would've supposed somebody turned a heater on. They continued on. Everything was fine until they heard a cracking sound from behind them.  
"What was that?" Seamus said in a hushed whisper. Dennis thought it sounded like someone had apparated inside. Only, when they whirled around to confront whoever was there- instead of a person, they were met with a gust of cold air-impossible for that time of year-and the light from the tips of their wands vanished, leaving the three men huddled together in darkness. "Harry, what'll we do now?! I can't see a thing," Seamus moved around to emphasize his point, which resulted in his elbow jabbing Dennis in the gut.  
"Ow," the younger man groaned, feeling as though something had ruptured; if it did, he wouldn't have been surprised. "Shay!"  
"Sorry," the Irishman apologized hastily, although relieved that they were on speaking terms again.  
"Quiet you two," Harry instructed. "We'll be fine, our wands are just acting up. Lumos." His wand, however, remained as it was. "Lumos," he said with more force but to no avail; his wand wouldn't budge.  
"Lumos Maxima," Dennis tried but his wand wouldn't budge either.  
"Why isn't our magic working?" Seamus fretted, waving his wand around like crazy. If he'd been in their year, he would've noticed it was in the same way during their first charms lesson in which he'd caught a feather on fire.  
Dennis gripped his arm; making the Irishman whine from the pain. "Stop that! You're going to blow something up!" Dennis hissed. Or set it on fire.  
"What? I don't blow-" Seamus' angry rant faltered when he heard another crack. It sounded louder; closer. "Who could that be?" when neither men could give a reasonable answer, he added, "It's got to be somebody. I hope," he swallowed thickly.  
"We've got to do something," Dennis wasn't sure if whispering was even helpful at this point, but, if it prevent him from seeing some crazy creature or bloodthirsty wizard, he'd do it. "But what?"  
"Run!" Harry said urgently and without hesitation. The men sped off down the hall in the dark, being semi carenot to trip and fall. The head's on the walls laughed mockingly at them. Soon, the cracking sound became footsteps. Large, brisk, heavy footsteps. They kept on running; despite their lungs begging for air. Harry tried again and again to shoot off spells but nothing worked; not even wandless magic worked.  
C'mon, Dennis thought desperately. Malfoy must've said something like this would happen. Maybe? I don't even know.   
The gust of cold air came back, enveloping them. It was just like being back in the Forbidden Forest. Dennis hated the cold, ever since he'd found out about Dementors. He hated the weakness associated with those horrible creatures. He and Colin encountered some more while on the run; it forced his brother to use more of his magic. They'd almost been found that day.  
"Oof!" Seamus ran face first into a fall. The Irishman swayed for a moment dizzily before dropping to the ground. The sour feelings were still there but Dennis helped him up anyway.  
"You alright?" he muttered, watching as Seamus wiped away some blood from his nose. Their eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and while they were not able to fully see, their silhouette's were in view.  
"Peachy," Seamus retorted sarcastically; his voice was a bit muffled due to his hand being over his mouth. "Just bloody peachy."  
"It's broken isn't it?" Harry asked knowingly.  
Seamus nodded, wincing at the pain that soared through his face.  
If my wand worked I'd fixed that for you," Harry said with sympathy. But their friend waved it away dismissively.  
"M'fine," he insisted. Dennis turned to Harry with anxiety written all over his face.  
"What are we going to do now?"  
The footsteps were gaining on them. Whatever it was, or perhaps however, wasn't very far off. Dennis could make out a long, shadowy figure that was lurching toward them. The figure didn't speak nor did it make any sounds.  
Dennis's heart pounded. His eyes darted over the secluded area in which they were in, searching for some way out. The ceiling caught his eye; There was tiny cracks that would surely give way if it was punched. "I've got an idea," he said breathlessly. "Hoist me up."  
"Why?" Seamus asked dumbly.  
"Just do it!" Dennis said urgently. Quickly, Seamus dropped to the floor and Dennis hopped on his back, making the Irishman groan at the extra weight-and the popping in his back. Harry observed whilst also making sure the shadowy figure didn't come near them.  
"Hope I'm not hurting you." Dennis swung his arm back and punched the ceiling. It shattered; he covered his eyes as to not get pieces of whatever that material was lodged in his eyes. Harry did the same. Another punch and light became visible. "Push me up!" With all his might, Seamus, as if he was doing a pushup, raised himself up as high as he could go. Dennis jumped and threw his leg over; effectively pulling himself out to the outside.  
"Goon-pant-Habby," Seamus panted between deep breaths. "I've got you." The figure was getting closer and even with the light, you still couldn't make out its face. Harry jumped on his back, proceeding to do what Dennis had done. The brunette held out his hand and Harry took it.  
"Seamus come on!" they chanted worriedly. Seamus hopped to his feet, jumping up but became discouraged when he realized he wasn't tall enough. Now what? The hair on his body stood up on end as the figure let out a blood curdling laugh. It was impossible to tell if it was male or female, it didn't sound human at all.  
"Seamus!" Seamus looked up to see Dennis hanging halfway out of the hole with his hand extended. "Grab my hand!" He obeyed and, with all the strength Dennis possessed, he was pulled out. Being the ever so curious Irishman he was, Seamus leaned over the hole, peeking down to see if the figure was still there. Dennis rolled his eyes and went to grab his friend back. What he didn't expect was for Harry to pull them both by the backs of their shirts. They stumbled in alarm by sudden screaming that could be heard from down in the hole. There were blasts from spells and briefly, the building shook as if it were going to collapse. Dennis' adrenaline rose tremendously when he heard someone get blasted right to the wall and groaned.  
"Waz that Nevblle?" Seamus guessed with a crease on his forehead.  
"Or Draco?" Harry speculated.  
"I'm so confused," Dennis mumbled.  
"About what?" Luna's giggle reached their ears. Their heads shot up; Malfoy, Hermione, Luna of course, Neville and Ron stood with bemused expressions. "Why does Seamus sound so funny?"  
'He broke his nose," Harry explained so the Irishman wouldn't talk in that nasally voice again. Changing the subject, he questioned, "Did you hear the screaming too?"  
"Or see the shadowy figure?" Dennis chimed in.  
"Of course we saw it," Neville said, sending Ron a sideways smirk. "Ron, here, nearly went into early heart failure."  
"It startled me," the redhead defended himself weakly. "How was I supposed to know it wouldn't hurt me? Black shadowy figures don't just pop up for no reason. "  
Wait. What?   
"It was going to hurt us?" Dennis narrowed his eyes. Seamus opened his mouth to put his two cents worth in but Harry shut him down before he could. "What do you mean? You mean to tell me we thought we could've died...and for nothing?"  
"Heh," Malfoy rubbed the back of his head guiltily. "I might have forgotten to tell you about that part. You see, whenever someone dares to enter the tomb it does a reply, if you will." The three men blinked with blank expressions on their faces. The blonde man elaborated, "The reply usually consists of battle scenes that have occured here."  
That explains the blasting, Dennis thought.  
"And the screaming?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "What's that about? Does that go along with the battle replays too?"  
"Have you ever heard of a silent battle?" Malfoy said dryly.  
"Touche."  
"Huh?" the purebloods stared at him confusedly.  
'Never mind," Harry said quickly.  
"Bu there's something I don't understand," Neville said, drawing the attention back on to him. "Not everyone heard the screaming. I didn't. Did anyone?"  
"Me either," Hermione admitted. "I've been trying to figure out why."  
"Me too," Ron added.  
"I dib," Seamus said.  
"So how did some of us hear it and some of us didn't?" Neville posed the question.  
"I don't know but I definitely heard it," Harry crossed his arms. Seamus nodded in agreement.  
"I did too," Dennis concurred. "But how?"  
"That's easy," Luna said cryptically. "Only those whose souls are deeply unsatisfied hear the call of agony."  
"That makes sense," Hermione said, shocking everyone. She usually never agreed with what Luna said. "Harry and Dennis are both upset by Colin's death. Luna's upset about her mother's death; but what about you, Seamus?"  
The Irishman squirmed under everyone's watchful gaze. "Welb I hab nightmeres bout the babble and being unber the crubeatius curse."  
"He has nightmares about the battle and being under the cruciatus curse," Dennis translated.  
"I hear ya," Neville muttered.  
The silence was nerve wracking. "So," Dennis broke the ice. "Where do we, er, do this ritual at?" It was a redundant question. He very well knew the answer, but he needed something to say.  
"Right here," Malfoy motioned to the area around them. The roof was a large flat piece of rock. Off to the side were a couple stone statues. Save for the hole, it remained in tact.  
"Great," Dennis feigned enthusiasm. "Do we have everything?"  
"I've got the book," Draco pulled the tiny bundle from his pocket.  
"I've got the wand," Harry held it up.  
"So, how exactly are we doing this?" Ron inquired, standing awkwardly in the way.  
"We'll have Draco read from the book while I cast the resurrection spell. Seamus was supposed to cast the shield spell but since he's a bit," Harry glanced at the Irishman, "indisposed right now, we'll have Neville do it. And Hermione will cast the rennervate spell. Sound good?" he asked them.  
"Let's do this thing!" Ron exclaimed, throwing his fist into the air.  
"We need to be careful," Draco reminded them sternly. "Our magic can and will get out of control. Cast the spells with a clear mind."  
Dennis had no doubt if Seamus could speak properly he'd be the same sarcastic pain he was at Hogwarts.  
The group settled in the middle of the roof. Malfoy conjured up some salt that he poured around as a square. Those needed for the ritual-Harry, Malfoy, Hermione and Neville-stood closets around the , Dennis, Ron and Luna stood close within distance.  
"This is mad," Ron said as Neville casted the shield charm. A giant bubble came over the whole roof and structure.  
Almost immediately following this, the wind picked up and a dark cloud came over. If they hadn't known it was daytime, they would've guessed it was nightfall already.  
"Is this suppose to happen?" They heard Neville yell to Malfoy. The blonde gave a half shrug.  
"I've never done this so I wouldn't know."  
"Ready?" Harry shouted over the roar of the sudden thunder.  
"Rennervate!"  
"Protego Totalum!"  
"Ressurrecto-confundo!"   
Nothing happened. Dennis' already fragile heart broke. His eyes welled ever slightly with tears. No. No. This couldn't be happening...after everything they went through to get here...  
"It's okay!" Harry shouted. "We'll try again!"  
Hermione shared a look of concern with Malfoy before resuming her position. Everyone was busy watching or waiting to resume that no one noticed the young woman behind them. A devilish grin appeared on her face.  
"Well, if it isn't itty bitty Longbottom and Potter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a reminder that any misspelled words are associated with Seamus' broken nose.


	12. Chapter 12

Time essentially stopped; Dennis felt as though he was in one of those horror movies he and Colin watched with their dad during their childhood, often without their mother's permission. Only, this wasn't a movie and the danger was very, very real. Malfoy was frozen on the spot and he seemed to pale which, if one accounted for his already porcelain skin, that would look impossible. There was absolute terror in his eyes; a sight which Dennis was not use to seeing. It made him look real. The blonde squeaked out something that he did not decipher but it appeared everyone else had. Truly, had the situation been different, Dennis wasn't so sure he could've kept a straight face. Malfoy was a good seven inches taller in comparison and this woman was about the same height as Hermione. Still, if her hair wasn't so wildly kept and her facial expression didn't look so nutty, she'd be very pretty.  
"Who is that?" Dennis subtly whispered to Luna. He was startled to see Neville glaring at her with something that could only be determined as hatred. Harry had even stood right in front of Hermione, protectively.  
"Bellatrix Lestrange," Luna replied quietly, keeping her eyes on the deranged witch. "She was one of Voldemort's loyal followers."  
Dennis sucked in a breath, inwardly panicking by the sudden intrusion. He'd heard about Lestrange from countless war survivors but never actually saw her until this very moment.  
Lestrange cackled, amused by their helplessness. Her eyes settled on Malfoy. "Nephew, what a surprise."  
"Aunt Bellatrix," his voice was squeaky, pre puberty squeaky.  
"It was you who has risen me, wasn't it?" she was delighted at what she thought was the correct information. "There, there! Potter is close enough to be in your clutches! Get him! GET HIM!"  
"Actually," he regained his normal voice and hissed at her like an angry cat. "I'm on their side." Lestrange looked ultimately betrayed. Her pupils dilated furiously whilst unattractive sputtering noises escaped her mouth.  
"WIth-with-Potter? Draco, what would your parents think? What would the Dark Lord think if he knew of your treachery?" she was near hysterical by this point.  
"I don't care what they think," Malfoy said calmly yet firmly. "I don't need their approval anymore, least of from V-Voldemort." Only Ron openly flinched. Hermione unconsciously touched her arm and Neville's glare of loathing came back.  
"DON'T SAY HIS NAME!" Lestrange screamed. "You're aren't worthy to speak his name with that mouth!"  
"At least I redeemed myself," Malfoy retorted, narrowing his eyes at her. "At least I wasn't killed by a housewife. No offense," he turned back at Ron to apologize. The redhead scowled.  
"What's that supposed to-ow!" he grabbed at his injured foot that Neville had stomped on to quiet him down.  
Lestrange screamed again, angered by his words. Dennis' chest constructed, horrified that she could hinder the progress they'd made so far and he impetuosity yelled out, "Stupefy!"  
The spell knocked the witch off her feet; she landed a few feet away on her face. His friends (and Malfoy) stared at her and back to Dennis, speechless. "Dennis," Neville spluttered. "You-you-"  
"That was brilliant!" Malfoy complimented genuinely. Dennis wasn't sure how to reply but luckily, he didn't have to. "You should've been in the battle; bet you would've taken down those tossers."  
"Draco!" Hermione snapped, Dennis guessed it was due to the language, she was always correcting the boys. "This is serious. We don't know what Dennis has done." Dennis tensed up, completely shook by his actions. He'd been so worried-so...so frantic that he didn't even think about what he could have caused.  
"Relax, Mione," Ron got over the shock about as fast as Malfoy had. "Mum killed her, remember? She's a ghost, she can't hurt us." Dennis's stomach relaxed, relief flooding his body, that is, until he was nearly decapitated by a burst of red light but managed to avoid thanks to his quick as lightning reflexes.  
"Dennis!"  
"Bennis!"  
One of the voices was Neville and the other was definitely Seamus; after this adventure they really needed to fix his nose. Dennis picked himself off the ground, heart pounding as he made eye contact with Lestrange. Not many people would've done that, let alone curse her judging by the reactions he received from his friends. Only, his courage quivered slightly; Lestrange's menacing stare was enough to chill him to the bones. No matter what, he was still a wimpy twenty year old that still relied on others more than he should've. He had a strong urge to cower from the crazed glint in her eyes but didn't pull through with it. Colin wouldn't have. He would've stood tall and shown her all the strength he had.  
Colin this, Colin that. What are you going to stop comparing yourself?   
Truthfully, he'd always done it. He'd always hoped to be just like his big brother; wanted to be as cool as him, as funny, as smart. One year he begged his mom to buy the same clothes for him as Colin so they could be twins; everyone was always mistaking them as twins anyway. He remembered coming out of the bathroom wearing the same brown shirt and baggy shorts. Colin's mouth had twitched and for once, his usual cheerful smile was gone, replaced with an odd expression that Dennis couldn't interpret. Not too long after, his parents convinced him to discard that idea.  
I didn't ask for a life story.   
Lestrange giggled, misunderstanding his silence for terror. "You really think you can defeat me?" she asked softly, rolling her wand between her fingers. He was momentarily distracted by her talons for nails. They reminded him of a great bird, roaming around for its prey.  
"Dennis, do something!" Ron whispered. "You're going to get us killed if you don't-" whatever the redhead was going to say, it died on his lips after a single glare by Hermione. Briefly, Dennis let his mind wander; noting with amusement that they really did act like an old married couple.  
"You know what?" he raised his voice, hoping to sound loud enough as to compensate for the lack of courage he currently possessed. Just as he hoped, this got Lestrange's attention. "I know I can defeat you. Didn't Molly Weasley, a housewife, kill you with little effort?" The painful reminder of her demise caused Lestrange to snarl like a dog in his direction.  
"You filthy mudblood!" she screeched, spittle going everywhere. "How dare you!" she took two giant steps forward, bellowing out the killing curse until her voice sounded raspy. Dennis yelped and took a dive to his right. Ron, Luna and Neville followed him. "Well, well. It seems you are more competent than I realized," a sinister smirk curved at her lips.  
He groaned, feeling pain surge through his body. "What do you want from us? Why are you even here?" It hadn't made sense, her sudden arrival. Despite his inward calculations and repeated attempts at solving this problem, his brain couldn't come up with a logical answer.  
"Haven't you guessed, Mudblood? The spirits roam the underworld, looking for a chance to escape. Once I defeat you all I'll be powerful enough to bring back the Dark Lord and he shall rise again!" she cackled for a second time. Dennis half expected a roar of thunder to sound, like in one of those cheesy muggle movies. Of course, it didn't' but he felt just as apprehensive.  
"How is that possible? Voldemort is dead. His spirit is nonexistent," Harry spoke up.  
"And that, Potter, is where you're very, very wrong," Lestrange grinned, showing them her very sharp teeth. "Aveda-"   
""Expelliarmus!" Ron bellowed. Unfortunately, the Death Eater moved just enough as to where he accidentally disarmed Malfoy Instead.  
"Weasley, you idiot!" Malfoy yelled in frustration. Ah, there was some of the old Malfoy back, Dennis thought to himself.  
Hermione didn't even reprimand him this time for his language. "Accio Draco's wand," she said loudly. In record speed, the wand flew right into her hand and she tossed it to the blonde easily.  
"Silly, silly little boy," Lestrange taunted. "Don't you know you can't stop me? And to think I might've only tortured for a short while. Serpensortia," she whispered and a long, green scaled snake came straight out of her wand, landing mere feet away from Dennis. Harry all but abandoned his post, however, Malfoy or Hermione (he couldn't very well tell as he refused to take his eyes off the snake) held him back.  
"Dennis!" Neville sounded out of his mind worried for him and he didn't want to know how scared Seamus was either. Bravely, he tried to recall Colin's words after he'd been petrified in his first year but he felt too frazzled to accurately remember anything. Snakes had never been something he thought of with fondness. He wasn't necessarily afraid of them but also wasn't too thrilled to be around one either. It hissed at him-showing its sharp fangs that could easily sink into his flesh. Against his own will, he flinched.  
"This look familiar?" Harry muttered to Malfoy nostalgically.  
"What can we do? He's not able to defend himself. Look at him, he's frozen," Malfoy shook his head.  
"It's boing to bill him, Barry," Seamus wheezed. "Bave him!"  
"We've really got to fix his nose later," Malfoy rolled his eyes, ignoring the Irishman's indigent glare. "Honestly, I can barely understand you."  
"Never mind that now," Harry said quickly, impatience slipping in. "Seamus is right; we have to save Dennis.  
Malfoy rose his nose high in the air. "Seamus? I believe I was the one to speak of rescuing Dennis first," his arrogance was feigned but no one seemed to be in the joking mood, least of all, Ron.  
"Cut it out, will you?" Ron snapped. "Dennis is in trouble and needs our help; not that I'd expect you to understand that."  
"Ron!" Hermione cried. Malfoy's facial expression flickered; going very raw for a mere second then switched back to the typical stony look they'd all been accustomed to seeing during their school days.  
"I understand it perfectly, Weasley," Malfoy said coldly, whipping out his wand and, with swift motions, muttered a spell under his breath; vanishing the snake just as it was about to leap at Dennis.  
"Draco, there's still time to rejoin our side. Think of what you're doing, nephew; leaving all of us behind-!" Malfoy flicked his wrist, stunning her. She fell back on the ground, knocked out instantly.  
"Well, she's not moving," Neville noted.  
"Maybe she's dead," Ron said hopefully.  
"She's not," Malfoy said flatly. "Just stunned. You alright Dennis?" he asked him, concerned.  
Dennis was still shaken by the ordeal but managed a weak smile in Dra-Malfoy's direction. "Yeah. Thanks for that."  
"Not a problem mate." None of them really knew what to say after that. Luna was the only one not bothered by the silence. Seamus took the opportunity to point out his still-not-yet-fixed broken nose by waving his arms crazily around.  
"We should fix Seamus' nose," Harry motioned. "I'll do it. Episkey." There was a small cracking sound; Seamus winced a bit but then gently caressed his nose with his index finger.  
"Blimey! That was wicked!" he exclaimed. "Draco, you were brilliant. Dennis, you were bloody brilliant!" said man blushed at the praise. "Do you know how she came back?" Harry opened his mouth but Seamus beat him to it. "Never mind that. I can't believe she pulled that snake out like that. Bloody crazy, don't you think?"  
"I think I liked it better when we could barely understand him," Neville said dryly. Seamus was too busy carrying on to hear him. "Shall we continue then? I imagine Dennis wants to see Colin before nightfall."  
"Preferably," Dennis agreed with a hint of teasing in his voice.  
"Alright then," Malfoy was back to his no-nonsense, business-like tone. "Seamus, hold that book and for the love of Merlin, shut up!" The Irishman huffed but nonetheless did as he was told. Neville, Dennis, Ron and Luna went back to the other side of the roof, a safe distance away from the ritual. The other three chatted airily but Dennis couldn't bring himself to join in. The nerves in his stomach were on overdrive. This was it. The moment he'd been waiting for; hoping for. If it didn't work, he didn't know what he'd do. If anything, this little adventure proved he had some fantastic friends but, truthfully, he'd trade in all the friends in the world if it meant he got to have his brother back so he, his brother and his parents could be a family again.  
"Dennis, don't worry. They know what they're doing." Sometimes he wondered if Neville could read his mind. His responses were too spot on to simply be a coincidence.  
"I suppose," he said, thin-lipped. "But I haven't seen my brother in six years so forgive me if I don't share that perspective." His terse retort grabbed the attention of Ron and Luna; they glanced over at him curiously causing him to feel the slightest bit humiliated.  
"I understand," Neville acknowledge with no ill feelings. "But you really ought to calm down, Dennis. You're shaking." Indeed, his hands trembled and he found that he couldn't he couldn't stay still in a spot for more than a few seconds. It was another annoying habit he acquired whenever he was nervous.  
"I can't help it," he sighed with exhaustion-and the morning wasn't even over yet. "If it works-if Colin comes back... what am I supposed to say to him?"  
"What do you want to say?" Luna asked him softly. She and Ron decided to be part of the conversation as well.  
Dennis' eyes became glossy. "I don't know. I had a whole speech prepared in case-somehow-someway-by a miracle, he came back." He felt the lump in his throat become more apparent as his chest constricted. The others were looking at him with sympathy-Ron especially. "It was great, fantastic even. He-he was supposed to know how much I love him," by now, the tears fell and he knew he was about to be a sobbing mess. Neville brought him into his arms, murmuring soothing words into his ear as he rubbed his back. Dennis thanked Merlin that he had two bloody amazing best friends that could care for him. Yet, at the same time, there was guilt, regret. Colin should be the one he goes to first; he should be comforting him, not Neville, not Seamus. These were the brotherly duties he'd missed out on.  
"I know what you're going through," Ron's voice cut through, sounding uncertain. Dennis pulled away from Neville's embrace, staring at the redhead with a red, tearstained face. "Can't tell you how many times I mistaked George for Fred. I keep expecting him to walk through the door, telling us about his latest prank or to startle me again by talking about spiders or to irritate mum by apparating in the house. I wish it had been me that died. I really do. George, he's a shell of what he used to be. I know he tries to fool us into thinking he's alright but we know he's not. He and Fred used to come by for Sunday dinners at the Barrow and now he finds every excuse not to come home." Dennis sniffled, wondering what the point of this monologue was. "Do you know how many times I wish I could just redo everything?" Ron's voice steadied, no longer sounding as though he'd burst into tears. "When Harry suggested we help you get Colin back, I was angry. I kept wondering why you were so special to get someone you loved back. All you had was your parents left. Fred had a whole huge family. It wasn't fair." Dennis flinched. He was right. Colin didn't have a big family to come back to, all he had was Dennis, their parents and maybe a friend or two, if you counted Seamus and Neville. "But I understand now. It doesn't matter how many people Colin had, the point is, he had people. He had you, your parents. And he has us." Dennis was gobsmacked by his words. "But anyway," Ron must've swayed away from his original point, "your brother won't care about your brilliant speech you came up with or any elaborate plan to show him how much you love him. Siblings, we just know; we don't need to be told. Colin's going to be so happy to see you, he won't care about anything else in the world." Dennis lunged at him, hugging the redhead until he coughed in protest. "N-n-need to b-breath, D-D-Dennis."  
"Sorry," Dennis let go, smiling through his tears. "Thanks Ron."  
"No problem," Ron smiled fondly, wiping away his own tears. "How's the ritual going, Luna?" the blonde had been the only one not to partake in the emotional affair.  
"I think they're going to try again," she said. "Hermione told Harry she can feel her magic weakening, Seamus and Draco concurred. So they're giving it one more time."  
"Don't worry, mate," Neville clapped Dennis on the back, nodding reassuringly. 'Whatever happens, we're here for you."  
"Perhaps we should start our own Sunday dinners," Ron suggested. "I'm sure Harry and Hermione will be up for it."  
"Draco, too," Luna added. "I can make my famous bumblebee pie!" Ron's mouth instantly started watering.  
"Bumblebee pie?" Dennis was a bit put off by the title. "It doesn't have real bees in it, does it?" he asked Neville, uneasily.  
"Of course not," Neville laughed. "Luna's not that crazy," he stopped laughing suddenly, muttering under his breath, "At least I hope not."  
"So what do you say, Den?" Ron asked happily, slinging an arm around his shoulders, "sunday dinners at your place?"  
"Alright," Dennis agreed. "That would be fun. I could show Teddy my-" but he never got to finish his statement; a huge booming sound occured, knocking them to the ground.


End file.
